According to findings made by Médecins du Monde (Doctors of the World), healthcare coverage does not extend to the whole of the Grand Duchy's population.
The so-called classic healthcare system is not accessible to people in vulnerable situations, such as the homeless, migrants, people at risk (such as sex workers, or drug consumers) as well as people owning a social security card, but living in a precarious situation.
The association has treated nearly 1,800 vulnerable people over the last 3 years, counting 815 patients in 2018. The number of patients has risen each year, from 620 in 2016, to 784 in 2017.
In 2018, 68% of people who consulted the service were doing so for the first time and had not used Médecins du Monde in previous years. The majority of patients were men (81%) primarily lacking housing - only 14% had a personal address - and living below the poverty line (93%). In Esch-sur-Alzette, women represented 40% of patients. 35 children were treated in 2018.
Since the start of the year, Médecins du Monde have offered 1,537 consultations of care, a figure which has starkly risen in comparison to 2018. Dr Jean Bottu, president of Médecins du Monde Luxembourg, stated that the medical care for people in poverty or the homeless needs to be made accessible by setting up universal healthcare coverage.
One in three people suffers from chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, high blood pressure or psychiatric conditions, as well as substance addictions.
The barriers to healthcare access deters people in poverty from being treated in a preventative manner, with patients often waiting until their health deteriorates before seeking care.
