Persons entitled to or seeking international protection are recognized by national and international legislation as a particularly vulnerable group and for this reason they enjoy free of charge medical and hospital care services at public hospitals, health centers and regional medical clinics.
The only supporting document necessary in order for them to be eligible for this benefit is, for each category respectively: (a) the refugee identity card, (b) the official note issued to an alien who has applied for asylum and the asylum seeker card, and (c) the special residence card issued to an alien for humanitarian reasons.
Under Joint Ministerial Decision 139491/06 (published in Government Gazette issue No. 1747/Β/30.11.06), medical and hospital care is provided free of charge to aliens within the Hellenic Territory provided they are uninsured and financially weak and fall under one of the following categories:
- Refugee status has been recognized for them by the competent authorities.
- They have applied for refugee status, and their application is under consideration.
- Their stay in Greece has been approved for humanitarian reasons or a time period has been set which has not lapsed.
Medical care comprises:
- Εxamination at the outpatients departments of public hospitals, health centers and public regional medical clinics, and performance of paraclinical examinations.
- Provision of medicines on the prescription of a doctor who serves at the hospitals/health centers/medical clinics referred to in the preceding paragraph, such prescription attested by the Director of the respective department.
- Hospital care comprises hospitalization in C' class ward beds in public hospitals.
For more information, see Circular under Ref. No. Y4a/οικ 93443/11 issued by the Ministry of Health entitled: Clarifications on the access of Aliens and Uninsured Persons to the medical and hospital care system in Greece.
For more information concerning access of aliens to health services and, in general, matters relevant to the rights of aliens in Greece, visit the following websites:
