Egypt Refugee Appeal For Refugees from Africa, Iraq and Yemen 2018 | Page 40

For Refugees & Asylum-seekers from
Sub-Saharan Africa, Iraq & Yemen
NEEDS, VULNERABILITIES AND TARGETING
Refugees arriving in Egypt, who seek primary, secondary and tertiary health care, have different understandings
and expectations of the health care services, as well as diverse access and utilization patterns. The results of the
HAUS undertaken at the end of 2016 indicate that 39.2 per cent of African and Iraqi households surveyed spent
money on health care in the previous month, with an average household cost of 373 EGP. The devaluation of the
Egyptian pound has resulted in the rise of health care related expenses, with a 30 to 50 per cent increase in the
price of medicines, laboratory analysis, and hospital interventions costs, as per the medicine list released by the
MoHP in January 2017. For the non-Arabic speaking population, language is an additional obstacle and barrier
to access health care, according to participatory assessments conducted in 2017.
HAUS results also showed that African and Iraqi refugees
have limited knowledge of subsidized and free health
services available to refugees. The survey highlighted that
the main barrier to access health care was the inability to
pay user fees; 70 per cent of those who received a referral
for specialized services had to make additional out-of-
pocket payments, through wages, loans, and community
support, despite the UNHCR-funded referral care services
through partners.
Additionally, the assessment revealed that 10 per cent
of surveyed household members suffered from chronic
conditions, with hypertension, chronic respiratory
diseases, and diabetes at the top of the list. Some 87.5 per
cent of pregnant women received antenatal care service;
however, they reported that high transportation costs
were a challenge. Most of the deliveries occurred in public
facilities, while a quarter occurred in private institutions.
The neonatal complications rate was relatively high (16.7
per cent) requiring hospitalization of the baby.
9
Survey results released in May 2016.
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The findings of a UNHCR nutrition survey for African and
Iraqi for refugee children and women of reproductive
age 9 revealed that for children under five years of age,
vaccination coverage was 74.3 per cent for measles
(target ≥ 95%) and vitamin A supplementation 35.4 per
cent (target ≥ 90%). The nutrition survey further informed
about a Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate of seven
per cent, and a stunting rate of 10 per cent for babies
and young children between 6 and 59 months, and 5
per cent for children and adolescents between 5 to 19
years. Moreover, the prevalence of anaemia among
children aged 6 to 59 months and non-pregnant women
of reproductive age (15-49 years) was found in 76 per
cent of the studied population. The survey highlighted
the need to improve the nutritional status of African and
Iraqi refugee children and women of reproductive age,
by strengthening multi-faceted interventions.