Close X
Monday, November 11, 2024
ADVT 
International

Five Things To Know About The Health Of Newly Arrived Syrian Refugees

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 29 Mar, 2016 11:19 AM
    OTTAWA — The latest issue of the Canadian Communicable Disease Report examined the health of the 26,166 Syrian refugees who arrived in Canada between Nov. 4, 2015 and Feb. 29, 2016.
     
    The report was published by the Public Health Agency of Canada and is the first comprehensive look at the status of the entire group. 
     
    Here are five things to know:
     
    1. All Syrians were screened before they were accepted to come to Canada. While all would-be immigrants, including refugees, must have a medical exam, the Syrians were examined on the same day as their interviews and security checks were done, in order to speed up the process. They also didn't have to pay for the exams, a standard cost for most others hoping to come to Canada.
     
     
    2. None of those accepted arrived with illnesses considered a serious danger to public health. Of the Syrians accepted, only two had possible cases of non-infectious tuberculosis. None tested positive for HIV or syphilis. About a third of the children who arrived in Toronto had common viral illnesses. There was also a flu outbreak among 450 Syrians who arrived in Edmonton in late January.
     
    3. There were some surprises. While the United Nations had told Canada that the Syrians could have high medical needs, those needs weren't specified. It has since emerged that some children arrived with conditions ranging from seizures to childhood cancers. Some were malnourished and others were noted to have intellectual disabilities.
     
     
    4. There are still big question marks around long-term needs. The study notes that many refugees don't report chronic conditions for fear they won't be accepted. It estimates around five per cent may have chronic conditions that will reveal themselves over time. Mental health also remains an issue. "Post-traumatic stress disorder is likely to emerge over the long term, as refugees become settled in their new lives and are able to mentally process the stresses of war, displacement and loss," the report says.
     
     
    5. Health-care costs were covered immediately upon arrival. The Syrians were officially Canadian permanent residents when they landed, so the complex matrix of coverage under the Interim Federal Heath Program didn't apply to those who came as government-assisted refugees. The Liberals did agree to cover extended health-care costs for privately sponsored Syrians, who, under the previous Conservative government were not covered for things like dental or prescription drugs.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Sikh Actor And Model Waris Ahluwalia Denied Entry Inside Plane Because Of His Turban

    Sikh Actor And Model Waris Ahluwalia Denied Entry Inside Plane Because Of His Turban
    The Amritsar born actor posted a picture of himself on Instagram.

    Sikh Actor And Model Waris Ahluwalia Denied Entry Inside Plane Because Of His Turban

    Donald Trump Backs Controversial ‘Waterboarding’ Of Terrorists

    Trump in an interview asserted that such harsh techniques would be a very good tool against terrorists

    Donald Trump Backs Controversial ‘Waterboarding’ Of Terrorists

    Bollywood, Ontario Film Industries To Work Together: Kathleen Wynne

    Bollywood, Ontario Film Industries To Work Together: Kathleen Wynne
    Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario, Canada, attended the high profile Bollywood style event in Mumbai where two new agreements were announced that will benefit India's film industry.

    Bollywood, Ontario Film Industries To Work Together: Kathleen Wynne

    Hafiz Saeed Accuses Nawaz Sharif Of Being Soft On India

    It was Hafiz Saeed's first major public appearance in the capital after three years, showing defiance towards government.

    Hafiz Saeed Accuses Nawaz Sharif Of Being Soft On India

    IIT-Delhi Alumnus Soumitra Dutta To Head Cornell's New Business College

    IIT-Delhi Alumnus Soumitra Dutta To Head Cornell's New Business College
    Soumitra Dutta, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, will become the dean of a new integrated College of Business being launched by the Cornell University during the 2016-17 academic year

    IIT-Delhi Alumnus Soumitra Dutta To Head Cornell's New Business College

    Sikhs Are Great Warriors: Barack Obama Promises To Look Into Removing Curbs On Sikhs In US Military

    Sikhs Are Great Warriors: Barack Obama Promises To Look Into Removing Curbs On Sikhs In US Military
    US Presidenthas promised Sikhs to look into their demand to allow them to serve in the American military "without restrictions" on their articles of faith like growing a beard and wearing a turban

    Sikhs Are Great Warriors: Barack Obama Promises To Look Into Removing Curbs On Sikhs In US Military