Journée Mondiale de la Santé 2009 : l’accès à la santé pour toutes et tous, une urgence! Tu, April 7, 2009, 10:30 AM, Union St.

For all who believe in equal access to health care,

This year celebrate World Health Day by joining the Immigrant Workers Center, Pinay, Project Genesis and many more on the front steps of the Health Minister's Office! Add your voice to the many demanding access to health care for new immigrants!

La Coalition Santé pour Toutes et Tous souligne la Journée Mondiale de la Santé 2009 en rappelant aux instances gouvernementales que la couverture de l’assurance-maladie est loin d’être universel au Québec. Le délai de trois mois imposé aux nouveaux immigrants et aux travailleuses temporaires par la RAMQ en matière d’accès au régime publique ne fait pas que perpétuer les inégalités entre les différents groupes de la société, ils mettent aussi des vies en danger en rendant les services de santé inaccessibles pour plus de 60 000 personnes chaque année.

La coalition se donne rendez-vous devant les bureaux montréalais du ministre de la santé et des services sociaux, monsieur Yves Bolduc, où elle installera une salle d’urgence provisoire, afin de souligner l’urgence de la situation actuelle. L’enjeu sera simultanément soulevé à l’Assemblée Nationale par le député de Mercier, Dr Amir Khadir, alors qu'il déposera une pétition compilée par la coalition demandant l’abrogation des délais de carence, et réitèrera qu’un système public et universel de santé, c’est un système de santé sans délai de carence.

Since its inception in 2001, the 3-month delay in eligibility for Medicare imposed on new immigrants and temporary workers has created a long list of tragic scenarios for newcomers to Quebec. Popularly known as the DDC (or Délai de carence), this 3-month delay is a discriminatory policy that can force newly arrived Quebeckers to choose between paying for private health care or paying the rent. It sends the clear message to immigrants that they are not equal to others and, for those unfortunate enough to have a health problem in those first few months, it can push them into a cycle of poverty and insecurity at the exact time they need to be focused on getting established in their new home.

This is why the Health Care for All Coalition has spent the last 3 years campaigning around Quebec to raise awareness and support among the general public for the abolishment of the DDC. Whenever people take the time to consider the implications of this exclusionary policy (which include more serious health problems, family poverty, public health concerns, more expensive treatments for the public system in the long run, social inequality), we have found that they come to share our demand: Abolish the DDC!

Today, on World Health Day, MNA Amir Khadir (Québec Solidaire) will deposit our petition to the National Assembly in Quebec City. Today, the Coalition Healthcare for All will picket outside the Health Ministers’ office to underline the emergency of abolishing the 3 month wait. Health Care for All would ensure the full equality of newly arrived immigrants and our international obligations under the UN Declaration of Human Rights to provide health care to all those in need. Let’s all join together on International Health Day and declare that Healthcare is a Right, not a commodity that can be bought!