Roma Health Mediators in hospitals
This case study focuses on a pilot initiative under the Healthy Region’s national healthy communities’ project, called “Implementation of Roma health mediation in hospitals” and focusing particularly on neonatology, gynecology-obstetrics, and pediatric departments. Healthy Regions partnered with three private and three state-run hospitals to employ eight Roma Health Mediators (RHM) who work on behalf of Roma from marginalised communities to help them as well as the services’ staff to overcome some of the specific challenges related to hospital care provision for such patients. The pilot has been implemented since November 2017 and has taken a participatory approach. Both Roma health mediators and hospital professionals have been involved in the conception, development, monitoring as well as evaluation of the initiative.
This material is part of a compilation of various case studies from across Europe that show different facets of early childhood development, and the types of policies and interventions that we are promoting through the ‘First Years, First Priority’ campaign. Published in December 2020.