UK Charity Challenges Policy Of Charging Pregnant Migrant Women For Maternity Care

A UK health charity has taken legal action against the National Health Service's policy of charging pregnant migrant women huge fees for what should be essential medical care

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th October, 2019) A UK health charity has taken legal action against the National Health Service's policy of charging pregnant migrant women huge fees for what should be essential medical care.

Maternity Action said that by disproportionately charging vulnerable groups the UK government was breaching the public sector equality duty, which offers protection against discrimination.

"We are challenging the practice of issuing bills of �7,000 [$9,000] or more to destitute pregnant women, deterring them from attending essential health care appointments," it said in a statement.

It also argued that the exemptions from the fee currently offered to victims of gender-based violence should be better enforced as it had evidence that survivors of female genital mutilation and sexual violence were regularly made to pay for maternity care.