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

    Indian-Origin Law Professor Surya Deva Appointed UN Adviser On Human Rights And Businesses

    Indian-Origin Law Professor Surya Deva Appointed UN Adviser On Human Rights And Businesses
    The Council approved in Geneva on Thursday his appointment to the position formally known as "Special Procedure Mandate Holder".

    Indian-Origin Law Professor Surya Deva Appointed UN Adviser On Human Rights And Businesses

    Post-Quake, Cracks And Holes Develop In Mt Everest

    Post-Quake, Cracks And Holes Develop In Mt Everest
    These ice-fall doctors prepare the route from the base camp to the summit, paving the way for climbers to ascend the peak.

    Post-Quake, Cracks And Holes Develop In Mt Everest

    Arvind Kejriwal Named Among World’s 50 Greatest Leaders By Fortune, PM Modi Not On List

    Arvind Kejriwal Named Among World’s 50 Greatest Leaders By Fortune, PM Modi Not On List
    47-year-old Aam Aadmi Party chief is ranked 42nd on the list and is the sole leader from Ind

    Arvind Kejriwal Named Among World’s 50 Greatest Leaders By Fortune, PM Modi Not On List

    Indian-Origin Woman Restaurateur Surinder Kaur Cheema Is A Hit In Ghana

    Indian-Origin Woman Restaurateur Surinder Kaur Cheema Is A Hit In Ghana
    Surinder Kaur Cheema came to Accra four decades ago from her native Baroda in India's Gujarat state to support her businessman husband. 

    Indian-Origin Woman Restaurateur Surinder Kaur Cheema Is A Hit In Ghana

    Ted Cruz Calls Donald Trump 'Sniveling Coward' As Spat Over Wives Takes Nastier Turn

    Ted Cruz branded Donald Trump a "sniveling coward" as the feud between the Republican presidential contenders over their wives took a nastier turn.

    Ted Cruz Calls Donald Trump 'Sniveling Coward' As Spat Over Wives Takes Nastier Turn

    Infosys Awaits Techie's Fate In Terror-Hit Brussels

    Infosys Awaits Techie's Fate In Terror-Hit Brussels
    Global software major Infosys Ltd. is waiting for an official communique on the fate of its employee Raghavendra Ganesh, who has bee missing in terror-hit Brussels since Tuesday.

    Infosys Awaits Techie's Fate In Terror-Hit Brussels