Doctors of the World (MEDECINS DU MONDE)-GREECE

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«Open Polyclinic» - Medical care for immigrants and refugees

Over the last years, Greece has changed from a country of passage to a country of receiving immigrants and refugees mainly from countries of Africa, of Asia and the Balkans. The increased number of this specific population that lives and works in our country provoked the increase of needs for medical care for people that still remain exposed and uncovered regarding health issues. MDM is conducting a project named «Οpen Polyclinic» in Athens and Thessalonica since 1997 and 2001 respectively, where volunteer doctors, nurses, social workers and psychologists are providing, medical, pharmaceutical care and psychosocial support for free to people with no access to the National Health care System, to the poor, to people without insurance, to the homeless, to Roma, refugees and immigrants.

The reasons that bring this vulnerable population to the organization?s Polyclinic, are mainly two: either it's a difficult financial situation or the fact that some of them have been expatriated from their country of origin and are now deprived their right of access to health services.

Medical care in Athens and Thessalonica

In 2007, the «Open Polyclinic» of Athens completed 10 years of action. During these years, more than 100,000 patients have received medical and pharmaceutical support. During the last years, the Polyclinic?s specialized teams support 14,000 patients per year. With its volunteer doctors of different specialties (cardiologist, pediatrician, ophthalmologist etc.) and paramedical professionals, the Open Polyclinic of Athens has offered services free of charge to approximately 16,000 patients only in 2006. Main countries of origin for foreigners are Iraq, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, African countries, Iran, Bulgaria, Poland, Ukraine and Albania.

In parallel, the Polyclinic of Thessalonica, the last 2 years received 8,000 patients, an increase of 45% compared to 2005. The majority of people that received medical services were mainly Greek citizens without medical insurance or people living below the poverty level. The main countries of origin for foreigners were Afghanistan, Albania, Georgia, Nigeria, Russia, Somalia, Iran, Congo, and Ukraine.

Projects targeting the RomaMDM has shown a special interest and concern regarding the Roma population since the beginning of their work in Greece. In this context, a program of medical care and psychosocial support is carried out with weekly visits of specialized MDM teams in the settlements where the Roma live in the cities of Athens, Patra and Thessalonica.

Following the European policy concerning marginalized populations, MDM adapts its projects to synchronous social needs by extending their target group population and upgrading undertaken activities.

«Athena» - Educational Centre for refugees and immigrants

Strongly believing that education will help refugees and immigrants in integrating in the society, MDM is realizing in its Athens offices daily courses for computer learning, and greek and english languages. At the same time, as a medical organization concerned about the health of foreigners in Greece, volunteers are carrying out training on preventive medicine.

In this scope, five volunteer teachers are conducting daily courses for more than 150 students every week (adults and children). The success of the program encourages the team to continue and to apply new ideas which will upgrade the existing educational tools.