South Africa: Improve Migrants’ Access to Health Care

The 89-page report, "No Healing Here: Violence, Discrimination and Barriers to Health for Migrants in South Africa," describes how harassment, lack of documentation, and the credible fear of deportation prevent many newcomers from seeking medical treatment even though South African law and policy state that asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants have a right to care. Those who do seek treatment are often mistreated and verbally abused by health care workers and denied care or charged unlawful fees. "Migrants to South Africa are abused in transit, attacked upon arrival, and then denied care when they are injured or ill," said Rebecca Shaeffer, fellow in the health and human rights division of Human Rights Watch. "The South African government should be ensuring that these people get the care they need, and are entitled to, under the country's constitution.

Read More