Doctors hit out at Italy's call to report illegal immigrants

Published on Friday 6 February 2009 20:54

A PROPOSAL by the Italian government for doctors to alert police if they suspect they are treating illegal immigrants has caused a major controversy.

Under the measures, confidentiality agreements between doctors and patients would be breached – but if doctors failed to alert the authorities, they could face criminal charges.

Doctors' associations yesterday reacted with anger, saying the move would turn them into spies, while the Catholic Church urged medics not to follow the proposals.

Many doctors also pointed out that the plan would also increase the risk of spreading infectious diseases, such as TB and malaria, as people would be scared to seek treatment.

The proposal came from the anti-immigration Northern League party, which holds a sizeable minority of seats in the centre-right coalition ruling government which is headed by the prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi.

The government insists the measure is needed to help crack down on illegal immigration, which has risen steadily in recent years and has been linked to high-profile crimes.

The proposal has been passed by the Senate, the Italian upper house, and must now go before the lower house, which will pass it easily.

The Northern League hailed the vote "as a victory for our militants", with the party's senate whip, Federico Briolo, dismissing shouts of "xenophobia" from the opposition benches.

Amadeo Bianco, president of the Italian Order of Doctors, said: "This proposal goes completely against our ethics, and it also goes against the basic principle of health-care for all. Illegal immigrants will not go to official health centres, perhaps preferring illegal medical treatment."

Domenico Segalini, of the Italian Catholic Bishops Conference, said: "The Church's view is that help should always be offered to people in danger, and we would urge doctors not to report anyone who comes to them. We would urge Catholic doctors to declare themselves conscientious objectors."