The steps of the asylum seeker’s approach to the Italian health system

Back to: Migrants‘ health, national laws and regional applications

During the rescue operations on the sea
migrants receive a first health assessment from health teams working on board. The Ministry of Health through the USMAF (Maritime, Aviation and Frontier Health Offices) carries out a first check on the general health conditions of people on board in order to be able to issue, after rescue operations at sea, a LPS certificate (libera pratica sanitaria).
After disembarkation
on the quays or the hotspots, are provided – in addition to the indispensable and priority humanitarian assistance – also a first health assessment to identify any emergency or suspected situations to give immediate response through a collaboration between USMAF, Local Health Units and in some cases no-profit organizations.
Once entered into the primary reception system (Government Centers/Hubs)
the healthcare offered at this stage should include a comprehensive medical check-up to actively search for signs and symptoms of specific illnesses in order to ensure an adequate and timely access to care, as well as identification of vulnerable conditions (pregnancy, minor age etc.).
After the first reception procedures
After the first reception procedures, asylum seekers are distributed among the regions according to criteria and proportions established by the Ministry of the Interior.

Once they have arrived in the region and in the structure they have been assigned, they are once again undergoing a syndromic surveillance visit, whose organizational arrangements and competent services vary widely not only from region to region but also within the same

Once in the asylum seekers’ center
Once in the asylum seekers’ center, at the very first stage they are entitled to get an STP code and to get essential, urgent, long-term and preventive care.
After the formalization of the international protection request
After the formalization of the international protection request  to the competent Authority they are entitled to the registration in the Italian Health System (a first period for free and the co-payment)

What happen if they are assigned to an asylum seekers center in Tuscany?

The Region of Tuscany is the region that provides the best health services in Italy (according to the MoH indicators).

The application of the national law on migrants’ health is quite comprehensive and sometimes go beyond it (example of the exemption for asylum seekers) BUT within the same region there are many differences in the application and level of services provided.

Health issues?

It was demonstrated that the presence of migrants in our country does not pose a significantly increased risk for the general population to acquire infectious diseases. For more information on the issue of health please see the following papers:

Project Partners

Casework is a cooperation between the Innovation in Learning Institute (ILI), the ECC Association for Interdisciplinary Consulting and Education, the INTRGEA Institute for Development of Human Potentials, and Oxfam Italy. More info…