Health

Asylum seekers as well as people who have been granted subsidiary protection who receive basic services in Vienna are automatically insured with Wiener Gebietskrankenkasse (WGKK) for medical treatment if the free-of-charge co-insurance of family members is not possible. People who have been granted asylum are insured via the Bedarfsorientierte Mindestsicherung (BMS) or via their employer.

If you have health insurance, you will receive an E-Card. The E-Card is a chip card bearing the name and the social insurance number of the insured person. You have to take this card with you every time you visit a doctor or hospital. If you lose the E-Card, you must report this immediately to the health insurance company. The health insurance company blocks the E-Card and will issue a new card.

People who have health insurance can go to a health service doctor free of charge. The costs will be paid by the health insurance company. Consulting a doctor of your choice will incur a fee. Some of the costs, however, may be paid by the health insurance company.

The organisation Wiener Gebietskrankenkasse (WGKK) has five health centres with various specialist outpatient clients as well as eight dental health centres. You can visit them without an appointment. At the weekend, you can consult special outpatient clinics of the various Vienna hospitals in urgent cases. In Vienna, there are numerous hospitals with different specialist departments. With more minor illnesses such as headaches or a cold, you can also purchase medication directly in a pharmacy. If you suddenly have a health problem that gives you cause for concern, you can call the health advice hotline on 1450 (without area code from all networks). On the telephone, you will be given prompt recommendations what you can best do, in an unbureaucratic manner. The service is free of charge – You only pay the usual telephone costs according to your tariff.

If you are pregnant, your gynaecologist will give you a Mother-Child Pass. This document records all examinations that are mandatory during your pregnancy and for your child up until the age of five. The examinations are free of charge and must be adhered to. If the check-ups are not adhered to, it may be the case that child allowance is withdrawn or child allowance that has already been paid out has to be repaid.

If you are pregnant, you are on so-called "maternity leave" eight weeks before and eight weeks after the birth. In this period, you are subject to the Maternity Leave Act and are not allowed to work. During maternity leave, you will receive financial support in the form of maternity allowance that you have to apply for from the Österrichische Gesundheitskasse (ÖGK). Women who work receive this allowance. Women who receive unemployment benefit, emergency assistance or childcare allowance receive maternity allowance. Asylum seekers do not receive any maternity allowance.

Please find under the following link a video with basic information for pregnant women in farsi/dari: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSWNZpA5zvU

You have to notify the birth of your child to the registry office and the reporting service of a municipal administration district office in Vienna. The registry office will issue the birth certificate; the reporting service will issue the registration form for your child. In some hospitals there are "baby points" who provide the documents necessary for this. Parents have to report the birth of their child to the responsible medical insurance company so that they receive an E-card for the new-born. In addition, asylum seekers, people who have been granted subsidiary protection and those who have been granted asylum have to register their child as an asylum seeker with the Bundesamt für Fremdenwesen und Asyl Landstraßer Hauptstraße 171, 1030 Vienna

Childcare allowance is granted in Austria to the parent who looks after the child during the first months after the child is born. Childcare allowance is paid out for a maximum of 30 months. Asylum seekers do not receive any child allowance. For people who have been granted asylum, the child allowance is deducted from the minimum benefits. People granted subsidiary protection will only receive childcare allowance if they have worked previously.

People who receive childcare allowance may not additionally earn more than EUR 16,200.00. People who receive childcare allowance that is dependent on income may additionally earn no more than EUR 7,300.00 a year.

Childcare allowance has to be applied for Österreichische Gesundheitskasse (ÖGK). It is important for the application to be made in a timely manner - if necessary before receive of the notification regarding family allowance. For childcare allowance is only paid out retrospectively for 6 months. You must comply with all specified Mother-Child Pass examinations. The confirmations of this must be presented to the medical insurance company by the time the child reaches the age of 15 months. Otherwise, the childcare allowance will be reduced.

Vaccinations are the most effective measure to protect yourself against life-threatening illnesses. Getting yourself vaccinated also helps to stop illnesses spreading further. The vaccination calendar for infants and young children incorporates the most important recommended vaccinations that are free of charge. There are, however, important recommended vaccinations for children and adults that incur a fee. Further information on this can be obtained directly from a doctor. All vaccinations will be noted down in a vaccination pass. You can obtain this vaccination pass from a doctor.

People who require psychological counselling and therapy can contact the following addresses for an initial discussion:

Free-of-charge psychological counselling and support for girls and women in German and English:

Peregrina
Wilhelm-Weber-Weg1/2/1+2
1110 Vienna
Tel.: 0043 1 408 33 52 or 0043 1 408 61 19
E-mail: information@peregrina.at
www.peregrina.at


Psychotherapeutic support for people who have been traumatised as the result of their experiences of torture and war:

Hemayat
Sechsschimmelgasse 21
1090 Vienna
Tel.: 0043 1 216 43 06
E-mail: anmeldung@hemayat.org
www.hemayat.org/


Immediate psychiatric assistance for people in psychological crises:

PSYCHOSOZIALER DIENST WIEN (PSD)
Gumpendorfer Straße 157
1060 Vienna, Phone: 0043 1 313 30
E-mail: psipost@psd-wien.at
E-mail: sndpost@psd-wien.at
www.psd-wien.at


Psychiatric counselling liaison services in basic services facilities:

ESRA Psychosoziales Zentrum
Tempelgasse 5, 1020 Vienna
Tel.: +43 1 214 90 14
E-mail: office@esra.at  
www.esra.at  

Psychological services and psychotherapy:

Psychological Outpatient Clinic at the Sigmund Freud University
Welthandelsplatz 3, Ground Floor, 1020 Vienna
Tel.: 01/798 40 98 / 370
E-mail: psyambulanz@sfu.ac.at
https://ambulanz.sfu.ac.at/de/psychologie-universitaetsambulanz/

Psychotherapy Outpatient Clinic at the Sigmund Freud University
Salztorgasse 5, 1010 Vienna
Tel: 01/798 94 00
E-mail: ambulanz@sfu.ac.at
https://ambulanz.sfu.ac.at/de/erwachsene/

Clinical-psychological/psychotherapeutic counselling und psychoedukative workshops for refugees who receive basic services ("Grundversorgung"):

Project "NEDA" (Institut für Frauen- und Männergesundheit)

For appointments please contact us by phone:

FEM, Frauengesundheitszentrum im Krankenhaus Nord
Arabic, Dari/Farsi, German, English
Tel.: 01/27700 – 5600 (female youth/women)

FEM Süd Frauengesundheitszentrum im Kaiser Franz Josef-Spital Sozialmedizinisches Zentrum Süd
Arabic, Dari/Farsi, German, English
Tel.: 01/60 191 – 5201

MEN, Männergesundheitszentrum im Kaiser Franz Josef-Spital Sozialmedizinisches Zentrum Süd
Arabic, Dari/Farsi, German, English
Tel.: 01/60 191 – 5454 (male youth/men)

The following organisations also offer counselling and support:

Health centre for girls, women and parents
The FEM South Health Centre offers counselling on topics such as partnership, nutrition, pregnancy and desire to have children:

FEM South — Kaiser Franz Josef Hospital
Kundratstraße 3
1100 Vienna
Tel.: +43 1 601 91 52 01
http://www.fem.at/FEM_Sued/femsued.htm

Health centre for boys and men
The MEN Health Centre offers boys and men psychological counselling and discussions on a healthy diet, partnership and further training in various health topics.

MEN Health Centre
Kundratstraße 3
1100 Vienna
Tel.: +43 1 60 191-5454
www.men-center.at

 

In medical emergencies, in the event of fires or other acute dangers, you may contact the following institutions who will help immediately.
 

The City of Vienna provides information regarding coronavirus in various languages: https://coronavirus.wien.gv.at/site/faq-english/

Outpatient clinics
https://www.gesundheitskasse.at/cdscontent/?contentid=10007.836227

Health centres                         
https://www.gesundheitskasse.at/cdscontent/?contentid=10007.836468&portal=oegkwportal

Vaccination calendar                                   
https://www.gesundheit.gv.at/leben/gesundheitsvorsorge/impfungen/inhalt

(Mother-tongue) doctors                
www.praxisplan.at

Hospitals                                             
https://gesundheitsverbund.at/kliniken/

Dentists, doctors, pharmacies, veterinary surgeons
www.wien.gv.at/gesundheit-soziales/arzt