PHILIPSBURG–St. Maarten Consumers Coalition questions the department of Social Affairs’ refusal to healthcare coverage for a local senior citizen.
In a press conference on Friday, Consumers Coalition representative Raymond Jessurun spoke about M. Arrindell’s current struggles to obtain healthcare coverage from government. Jessurun said that since January 2016 the Department of Labour Affairs and Social Services has refused to renew Arrindell’s medical card.
“The need for a medical card for this senior is now urgent as she needs to operate on her right arm,” Jessurun said. In August, Arrindell sustained a broken arm as a result of a fall. She was forced to pay out of pocket for medical assistance to treat her injury. However, she was instructed by her specialist that surgery was necessary to complete her treatment. “But she cannot afford to pay for such a procedure,” Jessurun said.
He explained that for the past three months Arrindell has been seeking assistance to get this much-needed operation. “She reached out to me in need of my help with this matter and I promised to provide her assistance to get a medical card,” Jessurun said. “As directed, she submitted an application form to the Department of Labour and Social Affairs on November 12, only to be told that her application would be denied.”
Jessurun further explained that her application was denied as she could not provide sufficient proof that she resides at the address she provided on her application, or has a bill from utilities company GEBE. “When someone cannot access medical services because of their income situation, government has to provide financial support to get medical attention. Refusing a senior citizen a medical card is a violation of the right to health,” he said.
He explained what the right to health is. He said it is not only the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, but the right to sanitation, adequate food, decent housing, healthy working conditions, and a clean environment.
“Lack of proof of her actual residency is the reason the Department of Labour and Social Affairs is using to decide if Arrindell can get medical assistance,” Jessurun said. He concludes by saying, “According to the International Covenant of Economic Social and Cultural Rights ratified by the Kingdom and with direct application in St. Maarten, article 2 states that the States Parties to the present Covenant undertaken to guarantee that the rights enunciated in the present Covenant will be exercised without discrimination of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political (or other opinion), national or social origin, property, birth or other status. The actual residence argument is a reason that cannot be used as grounds to discriminate among Dutch nationals in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.”
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/92707-consumers-coalition-questions-social-affairs-choice-to-refuse-medical-aid-to-senior-citizen
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