CAMPAIGN 31 WEEK 4

A Tale of Protection: Obi

A life in jeopardy by IFHP reform

Recognizing that Campaign 31 spans the loss of Canadian Immigration and Refugee traditions this weeks tale of protection focuses on the consequences of the reform of the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP). Mirroring some of the underlying principles of Bill C-31, this reform perpetuates inequity and further marginalizes vulnerable populations. Obi arrived from Nigeria in 2005 and made a refugee claim based on persecution stemming from tribal conflict. Unfortunately, he was unable to supply a sufficient amount of evidence to corroborate his story and his claim was subsequently rejected. Fearing for his life if forced to return to Nigeria, Obi decided to remain in Canada and live without status. To make matters worse, soon after arriving in Canada Obi discovered he was diabetic. During the process of his claim he had access to treatment under the Interim Federal Health Program, but lost coverage along with his claim. A combination of lack of awareness of community support programs and the withdrawal of health coverage caused his health to quickly deteriorate. After a year of living in Canada without status, Obi began to experience problems with his vision. As problems persisted, he decided to take an expensive but necessary trip to the hospital. Obi paid hundreds of dollars to discover that he was suffering from diabetic retinopathy, a condition that affects vision. He was informed that his situation was very serious and needed a treatment plan to prevent further deterioration. Unfortunately, Obi couldnt afford another trip to the doctor and was forced to let his appointment lapse. Things went from bad to worse. Unable to pay for doctor visits and anti-diabetic medication, Obi completely lost his vision in 2010. As a result, he was unable to continue working safely and was forced to leave his job. Having used his limited savings to pay for previous medical treatment, Obi needed to rely on the kindness of his community in order to survive. His landlord took pity on him and allowed him to live rent free in his apartment until his situation changed. His neighbours rallied around him, cooking meals and helping with the housekeeping. Obi was eventually connected with a community agency to get the level of help he needed. Last year Obi was accepted as a Permanent Resident on Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds. He is getting his diabetes under control and learning the skills necessary to live as a blind man. He is working with counsellors and community support workers to think about a career path and get his life back on track. Obi is beginning to accept the fact that he will never see again. Under the IFHP reform, we can only expect this scenario to play out more frequently. In Obis case, healthcare was lost with his immigration status; but now, a greater number of legitimate claimants will suffer the same situation. Rejected refugee claimants and claimants from safe countries will only receive health coverage when required to prevent or treat a disease posing a risk to public health or a condition of public safety concern. This severely limits the span of coverage for many people trying to rebuild their lives in Canada. Diabetics, pregnant women and heart-attack sufferers are only some of the patients who will be denied access to healthcare. This means that people delivering babies or undergoing emergency heart surgery are going to have to absorb exorbitant costs, or else... Or else what? The bottom line is that in an effort to save money, speed up processes, and deter fraudulent claims, the government is putting real lives at risk. What would have happened to Obi if he hadnt been surrounded by such a caring community? The alternative isnt exactly comforting left to fend for himself as a diabetic blind man without access to any resources. These possibilities dont reflect a society that has been celebrated for its major and sustained contribution to the cause of refugees.