MSF launched an emergency medical response in Athens this month,
helping homeless people suffering in freezing temperatures and bad
weather.
Athens city authorities opened temporary emergency
shelters for homeless people which MSF teams, made up of a doctor,
nurse, social worker and logistician, visited in order to :
- provide medical screening and treatment
- support patient's referral to the national health system
- provide non-food and personal hygiene items to patients
The
teams provided medical assistance to more then 245 people in emergency
shelters. The majority of the homeless people were male, aged 30-50,
more than half were non-Greeks, with the vast majority among them being
from North Africa.
Medical needs
The MSF teams
responded to medical conditions such as upper respiratory tract
infection, muscular-skeletal problems, gastrointestinal disorders and
skin diseases related to bad weather and long term bad living
conditions.
Chronic non-communicable diseases like diabetes and
heart problems were also addressed and referred for follow up to the
health facilities.
The teams also identified a lack of hot water
and personal hygiene items, as well as an insufficient number of
blankets and clothes.
Despite the mobilisation of Greek society, the authorities' response was still lacking a coordinated mechanism.
Concerns
remain about the overall situation of homeless people in terms of
access to health care and social services as most of them have no health
insurance and also in terms of shelter as the emergency centres close
soon.
MSF's emergency intervention in Greece ran from 1st to 19th February 2012
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