MSF team providing psychological support and medical care to survivors of shipwreck off Farmakonisi island

On Sunday 13 September, a wooden boat carrying more than 130 refugees and migrants sank off the Greek island of Farmakonisi. An MSF team from Kos was sent to Leros immediately to provide mental health support and medical care to survivors. "People are shocked and terrified by the experience. There are people who lost their relatives, others who lost their children”, says Vangelis Orfanoudakis, MSF coordinator. Project Update - 15 Sep 2015

Central African Republic

MSF provides medical assistance for displaced people in Carnot

MSF is assisting the Ministry of Health with its Expanded Vaccination Programme in Carnot. MSF’s Dr Aubin Vergnes says it is crucial to act fast when there’s a risk of an epidemic. “In overcrowded conditions like these, just one case of measles can spread like wildfire to all the children in the camp, so the health authorities and MSF prepared the vaccination campaign in under three days.” Project Update - 14 Sep 2015

Greece

Closure of Captain Elias camp in Kos leaves refugees even more vulnerable

“It is unacceptable that this closure was not accompanied by any decision from the authorities to provide other facilities for refugees arriving in Kos” said Elisa Galli, MSF Field Coordinator in Kos. “Captain Elias was far from ideal, but now people have absolutely nowhere to go. There is no clarity on what will happen next, and authorities are not assuming their responsibilities about the well-being of these vulnerable people. As we have said repeatedly, the authorities need to ensure that adequate reception facilities are provided.” Project Update - 11 Sep 2015

Hungary

MSF providing medical care to refugees on the Serbia-Hungary border

"The needs in Roszke are enormous. This is the first place they arrive after having been on the road for weeks since setting off from Greece,” explains Teresa Sancristoval, project manager for MSF's Emergency Unit in Roszke. “They can stay here for up to a few days so they need information, food, water, latrines, showers and protection from the cold as temperatures can drop to three degrees at night. With the heavy rains that we are facing now, the conditions are worsening. We have to be ready as we foresee that this situation will continue for a while." Voices from the Field - 11 Sep 2015

Mediterranean migration

EU: your fences kill. Provide safe and legal passage

We send you this letter today, together with a lifejacket belonging to one of the 15,000 people rescued at sea by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) since May. This poor quality life vest was the only security a man, woman or child had whilst trying to cross the sea to Europe. These jackets sometimes feature handwritten prayers for a safe passage, or phone numbers of relatives and friends to be contacted in case the person wearing it does not make it. This is a reminder that the people embarking on these journeys are fully aware of the risks they are undertaking, and the sheer desperation motivating them to put themselves and their families in so much danger. Open Letter - 11 Sep 2015

Serbia

On the refugee trail: “My dream is peace in Afghanistan”

For months, an abandoned brick factory on the outskirts of the Serbian town of Subotica, close to the border with Hungary, has been a place of rest for refugees on their way to the border crossing, further north. MSF is running a mobile clinic here since late 2014 for refugees and undocumented migrants. Voices from the Field - 9 Sep 2015

Greece

Testimonies from refugees and staff in Lesbos

Refugee testimonies and MSF emergency team member testimony, Lesbos, Greece. "Now, for the first time, I feel like I am really human. This is the first time that someone has taken care of me," says Mohamed, a Syrian refugee. Voices from the Field - 4 Sep 2015

Central African Republic

After 18 months in locked compound, displaced families decide it is safe to go home

MSF welcomed the return to their homes of 400 displaced people who found refuge in Berberati bishop's ground. "After a year and a half living in precarious conditions and cut off from the outside world, these families can finally return home," said Geraldine Duc, MSF’s medical coordinator. "Although they will have to overcome fear and rebuild what has been destroyed, their lives are slowly returning to their course." Project Update - 3 Sep 2015

Tunisia

Fishermen receive training in saving lives at sea

“Tragedies at sea will continue to regularly occur as people are desperate to flee to Europe” says Wiet Vandormael, MSF’s training coordinator “Search and rescue helps save lives but is not a long-term solution. The European Union needs to create safe and legal ways for people to reach Europe so that they don’t have to risk their lives during the journey.” Project Update - 1 Sep 2015

Tunisia

Testimonies from fishermen receiving training in saving lives at sea

In order to increase the fishermen’s capacity to carry out rescues at sea, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has carried out a six-day training with 116 local fishermen in the town of Zarzis. Voices from the Field - 31 Aug 2015

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

Independent medical humanitarian assistance

We provide medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare. Our teams are made up of tens of thousands of health professionals, logistic and administrative staff - most of them hired locally. Our actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of independence and impartiality. We are a non-profit, self-governed, member-based organisation.

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