THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
Refugee and asylum-seeking children in Germany are now entitled to significantly better healthcare, following changes that took effect on 12 June under the implementation of the European Union’s new asylum system.
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While much of the EU’s Common European Asylum System (GEAS) introduces stricter border procedures and faster asylum processing, one aspect of the reform brings a clear benefit for young refugees: children receiving benefits under Germany’s Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act (Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz) are now entitled to healthcare broadly equivalent to that available to children covered by the country’s statutory health insurance.
What has changed?
Until now, many asylum-seeking children were generally entitled only to treatment for acute illnesses, pain, emergencies and a limited range of essential medical services. Access to preventive care or specialist treatment often required prior approval from the local social welfare office.
Under the new rules, this restriction has been lifted.
Eligible children can now access a much wider range of healthcare services, including:
- regular medical check-ups and preventive examinations;
- treatment by general practitioners and specialists;
- dental care;
- prescribed medicines;
- physiotherapy and medical aids;
- maternity care for pregnant minors; and
- other services normally available through Germany’s public health insurance system.
Easier access to doctors
Another important improvement is the introduction of the electronic health insurance card (Gesundheitskarte) for most affected children.
Instead of first visiting the social welfare office to obtain a treatment voucher before seeing a doctor, eligible children will generally receive an electronic health card issued by a statutory health insurance fund acting on behalf of the authorities. This allows them to make medical appointments much like any child covered by public health insurance, reducing bureaucracy and speeding up access to care. The costs will continue to be paid by the responsible social welfare authority rather than the health insurer.
Who benefits?
The reform applies to minors receiving benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act. This includes:
- children whose asylum applications are still pending;
- children with temporary suspension of deportation (Duldung);
- children in Dublin procedures; and
- certain other minors covered by the Act, regardless of whether they live in an initial reception centre or have already been assigned to a municipality.
An EU requirement
The improvement was not introduced as a stand-alone national policy. Rather, it implements provisions of the EU Reception Conditions Directive, one of the legislative acts making up the Common European Asylum System. The directive requires member states to ensure that asylum-seeking children receive healthcare comparable to that provided to their own children.
Some challenges remain
Despite the broader healthcare entitlement, not every barrier has disappeared.
Interpreters are still not routinely covered by statutory health insurance, meaning families may need to apply separately to social welfare authorities if language support is essential for treatment, particularly during psychotherapy or complex medical consultations.
For many refugee families, however, the reform represents one of the few positive developments within a broader package of asylum changes that has otherwise tightened migration and asylum rules across Germany and the European Union.
Vivian Asamoah
