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UNI Europa Youth visit at Red Cross Denmark’s free clinic for illegal persons

The UNI Europa Youth Steering group was in Copenhagen for a steering group meeting on October 18-19. During this meeting they went to see the Danish Red Cross’ clinic which help those in the country without the proper papers (illegally).

Retired medical doctor Niels Michelsen, showed the group around the small clinic that treats more than 3000 illegal persons each year. The clinic is entirely funded by donations, as it receives no public funding. The clinic has access to most specialties and has four dentists, two midwifes, 24 doctors, 26 nurses, three therapists and two psychologists in-house. Everyone working at the clinic is donating his or her time and there is actually a long waiting list to become a volunteer at the clinic.

Niels Michelsen told us many stories about the poor conditions of the patients that come through the clinic. Lately an increase in illegal persons from Syria has been coming to the clinic. One patient from Syria was a refugee who had arrived in the clinic after fleeing all the way from the civil war in Syria. He was tortured and had all his fingers broken. Unfortunately, this is not a isolated story. Many of the illegal persons that where treated in the clinic were refugees of war.

One lady from Africa, who is living illegally in Denmark as she has no relatives in her own country and her two sons are in Denmark but they have the right to live there. She is terminally ill with cancer and would most likely have no one to take care of her if she was sent out of Denmark. The clinic in Copenhagen provides her with medicine and specialist treatment regardless. In general the patients come from all over the world, but mainly South of Sahara and Eastern Europe

The clinic is located near a police station, so the steering group asked how the illegal persons can get into the clinic without having trouble with police. Niels Michelsen said that the clinic since its opening in 2011 never experienced any problems with the police. We were told that the clinic actually has a really good collaboration with the police as they have a special hotline with the police if any fights or other violent behavior takes place in the clinic.

As the clinic relies on donations, it is not yet a permanent solution. Should you be curios to know more or even make a donation, please visit the website of the Danish Red Cross : www.rodekors.dk