Slovenia
In terms of health, the situation for migrants in Slovenia is slightly unfavourable. Access to healthcare and health facilities represents another deterrent of the social integration of migrants in Slovenia because many migrants still struggle to fully access the healthcare system, especially women. Health services are only made accessible and responsive to newcomer patients through provision of information on their legal entitlements.
In order not to pay for medical expenses, a “personal physician” must be found who then guides patients in terms of healthcare and possible further specialist treatments. This poses a major problem for migrant women. The situation got worse during the pandemic as it is in general very hard to find a personal physician that still accepts patients because the situation in public healthcare is alarming on the overall, let alone for migrants. Lack of information is also problematic, since relevant information about the workings of the health system is hard to find. As an example, the fact that migrant women regardless of their formal status are entitled to emergency medical care and access to a doctor on duty is not always information that would be available to foreign nationals. Additionally, migrants experience discrimination in healthcare and if they are not proficient in Slovenian language, they may be refused treatment because Slovenia doesn’t secure enough available intercultural mediators and translators. It is often still the case that underage children need to translate for their mothers at doctor’s appointments, a practice highly inappropriate for both the mother and the child (e.g. at a gynecologist exam etc.).
To end this chapter, we make available to students the following success story starring a migrant woman in Slovenia and entitled “Success in getting work opportunities, but facing health service access discrimination” accessible at: https://viw.pixel-online.org/case_view.php?id=Njc= as well as “Overcoming the bureaucratic obstacles, poor information flow and health care issues” accessible at: https://viw.pixel-online.org/case_view.php?id=NjU= .
References
ZZZS.
https://www.zzzs.si/en/accessing-healthcare-in-slovenia/temporary-stay-in-slovenia/
https://welcomm-europe.eu/slovenia/health/