Dick Pranger, FEAMC Congress, Porto, October 2016

Crosspost in Amsterdam: medical and social care for poor people / Crosspost dans Amsterdam: un centre de support médical et social pour les pauvres / Crosspost em Amsterdão: um centro de apoio médico e social aos pobres

Summary/ Résumé/ Resumo

Crosspost is a medical post in the old centre of Amsterdam which provides medical and social care for poor people who don’t have access to normal health care. It was founded by a small oecumenical Christian community which performs a lot of pastoral work in the centre of Amsterdam. Crosspost is managed by a group a thirty medical doctors, all of them are volunteers, a medical coordinator, three social workers, a dentist, a dietist, a physiotherapist and a group of administrative assistants.

Our patients come from all over the world, most of them are illegal. Some of them are refugees from countries which are involved in a civil war. Every group has its specific medical and social problems. We will give basic medical and dental care. Many patients suffer from diabetes, hypertension, gastric problems, severe psychiatric problems and ten percent of them need social help. Our service is given at a very low price and if necessary it is for free. When necessary we even give medicaments for free and in the case of urgencies and complications we have a contract with two university hospitals. Our post is financially supported by charitative founds.