Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without borders, or Giatroi choris Synora in Greek) is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides emergency medical assistance to populations in danger in more than 80 countries.
Medecins Sans Frontieres in Greece has been providing aid since 1996. MSF’s activities in Greece expanded in 2014-2016 to respond to the refugee crisis and assist the large influx of migrants and asylum seekers arriving from Turkey. After the EU-Turkey deal in March 2016, many migrants became stranded on the Greek islands while awaiting decisions on their asylum claims.
MSF currently has operations providing medical and mental healthcare on the islands of Lesbos, Samos, and Chios as well as in Athens and along the Greece-Turkey land border.
MSF activities on the Greek Islands
- Lesbos: MSF runs a clinic providing primary healthcare, treatment for chronic diseases, sexual and reproductive healthcare, and mental health support. MSF also offers emergency medical care for new arrivals.
- Samos: MSF runs a temporary shelter and provides mental health support, vaccination campaigns, and individual legal assistance.
- Chios: MSF provides cultural mediation services at the local hospital.
Operations in Athens
MSF runs multiple clinics in Athens:
- A day center offering sexual and reproductive healthcare, mental health support, treatment for chronic diseases, and travel medicine.
- A rehabilitation center providing specialized care for torture victims and survivors of violence.
- Mobile clinics providing basic healthcare and mental health support.
Additional Operations
- Evros land border: MSF offers medical and mental healthcare.
- Greek mainland: MSF has provided services in camps and assisted local hospitals and vaccination campaigns.
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is supported by more than 7 million individual donors and private institutions worldwide. These donors and institutions provided 97% of the €2.25 billion raised by MSF in 2022. MSF uses the funds raised from individual donors to provide urgent medical care to people affected by war, starvation, and disease in more than 70 countries around the world each year. It ensures that a significant portion of these funds is allocated to its medical humanitarian programs, while also maintaining financial transparency and accountability.
In conclusion, Médecins Sans Frontières plays a significant role in Greece, particularly in providing medical aid to refugees and asylum seekers. The organization also offers volunteering opportunities for those who meet their requirements.
Related pages about Voluntary Health Organizations in Greece:
Related pages:
