Practicing in exile: Syrian healthcare professionals working in informal outpatient clinics in Istanbul

Surmeli, Aral; Yasin, Yeşim; Tolunay, Tuana Umay; User, Inci; Topsever, Pınar

doi:10.1111/imig.12906

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

References 24 publications

(33 reference statements)

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“…Though there has been some limited exploration of the issues facing Syrian refugee healthcare workers in Lebanon, Turkey and Germany [ 18 , 19 ], there has been virtually no discussion of the experiences of Syrian HCWs in Egypt and their access to the labour market in the literature. Restrictive labour policies in Egypt prevent highly skilled professionals from Syria to operate legally, leading to instances of informal work among Syrian HCWs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experiences of Egypt as a destination and transit country for Syrian refugee healthcare workers: a qualitative study

Ghobrial,

Rayes,

Sabouni

et al. 2023

BMC Health Serv Res

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Background Refugee healthcare workers (HCWs) can make important contributions in host countries, particularly in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated existing shortages of frontline HCWs. However, refugee HCWs often face challenges entering the labour markets of such countries even where needs exist. Syria’s decade-long conflict has forced thousands of HCWs from their homes; however, data on this population are limited, impeding the formation of policies that can support them. This study explores the experiences of Syrian refugee HCWs in Egypt. Methods Key informants (KIs) were selected using purposive and snowball sampling method and semi-structured interviews were conducted in person in Cairo and remotely from the UK during July 2019. Interviews were conducted in Arabic and analysed using a combined deductive and inductive thematic analysis framework after transcription into English. Results Fifteen KI interviews were analysed. The main emerging themes from the qualitative interviews are those relating to 1. Education, training, and licensing 2. Politics and bureaucracy 3. Societal factors 4. Economic factors. Political changes in Egypt altered opportunities for Syrian HCWs over time; however, refugee HCWs broadly reported acceptance among Egyptian patients and colleagues. Bureaucratic factors which impede the ability of Syrian refugee HCWs to obtain a full license to practice and leave to remain and the absence of clearly defined policies were reported as barriers. Economic factors including the risk of economic exploitation e.g. in the informal sector and financial insecurity were noted to have a negative psychosocial impact. Conclusions This is the first qualitative research study which explores the experiences of Syrian refugee HCWs in Egypt. It adds to the sparse literature on the topic of Syrian refugee HCWs but provides evidence for further discussions on how to support refugee HCWs in Egypt and in other host countries in the region. Though interviews were conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic itself lends urgency to the discussion around refugee HCWs on an international level.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%