Greece

Asylum seekers and refugees continue to arrive in Greece in search of safety, only to find themselves stranded indefinitely in the country.

Since the EU-Turkey deal in March 2016, migrants and refugees previously in transit through the Greek islands have been trapped there for an indeterminate time in overcrowded, unsafe and unhygienic conditions, without access to basic services, adequate shelter or information on their legal status.

We provide medical and mental healthcare to migrants on the Greek islands of Lesbos and Samos, as well as in Athens. Our activities include vaccinating migrant children against common childhood diseases, providing sexual and reproductive healthcare, treating chronic diseases and providing care for survivors of torture and sexual violence. On the islands of Lesvos and Samos we also provide emergency medical assistance to people in distress once they arrive by boat from Türkiye.

Our teams in Lesbos and Samos have reported overwhelming numbers of people suffering from serious mental health conditions while being contained on the islands. We have made repeated calls on the European Union to completely change its approach to migration, which is causing avoidable harm to the health and wellbeing of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants.

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MSF, Doctors Without Borders, Greece, Border violence in the Aegean islands

Asylum seekers

Asylum seekers in Greece report being beaten, strip-searched and sent back to sea

2 Nov 2023

Our activities in 2023 in Greece

Data and information from the International Activity Report 2023.

204

STAFF IN 2023 (FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT)

€9.5 M

9.5M

EXPENDITURE IN 2023

1991

YEAR MSF FIRST WORKED IN THE COUNTRY

MSF IN GREECE IN 2023 Doctors Without Borders (MSF) assists migrants, refugees and asylum seekers arriving in Greece, many of whom have endured trauma in their home countries, on their journeys or at European borders.

In 2023, restrictive European Union and Greek migration policies continued to take a severe toll on the physical and mental health of people seeking safety in Europe. Many of those arriving in Greece, whether by sea or land, were reportedly pushed back or placed in Closed Controlled Access Centres (CCACs) and later released into the country with little to no assistance.

Throughout 2023, our teams in Greece documented people’s reports of degrading treatment, including physical violence at sea or on arrival on the islands of Samos and Lesbos. The dire humanitarian situation was compounded as more and more people arriving were placed inside CCACs, and the majority were operating beyond their capacity. As a result, there was a lack of basic items such as bed covers, food, water, and hygiene supplies, and services, resulting in various avoidable health conditions, including respiratory and skin infections. The conditions also further impacted people’s mental health.

Our teams continued to provide timely and essential medical and psychological assistance to people on arrival, inside camps, and within the community. We run day centres and/or mobile clinics in Athens and on Lesbos and Samos, as well as providing emergency medical assistance for new arrivals. Our comprehensive response includes general healthcare, mental health support, and sexual and reproductive health services.

Our teams also treat patients with infectious and non-communicable diseases, and victims and survivors of sexual violence and torture. To ensure that people receive the necessary support, our multidisciplinary approach also comprises health promotion, intercultural mediation, and social and legal services.

During the year, MSF teams offered emergency medical and psychological first aid to thousands of people upon disembarkation on Lesbos and Samos, and organised hospital referrals for those needing further care. Finally, following massive floods in the region of Thessaly, our teams provided assistance to people affected.

Read more: https://www.msf.org/plain-sight-migration-policies-greek-sea-borders