Aegean Islands Samos In March 2018, MSF concluded their operations on Samos island. MSF had worked on Samos since November 2015, when it established a temporary shelter for vulnerable people that could host up to 80 people. People are identified and referred to the shelter by the MSF team and by other organisations working in the Reception and Identification Centre (RIC). MSF has been providing shelter residents with referrals to the local hospital for specialised care, always accompanied by a cultural mediator. MSF, during the first quarter of 2018, conducted 267 clinical psychological sessions and 60 psychiatric sessions. MSF also provided information on legal matters and individual assistance with asylum claims, in partnership with the Greek Council for Refugees. MSF has been supporting the ‘Samos Volunteers’ group with in-kind donations. In early January 2018, MSF contributed to a campaign to improve hygiene in the overcrowded Samos camp with a massive donation of hygiene items was distributed through the volunteers network to the population of the RIC. By the end of March 2018, MSF had opened a laundry station very close to the RIC to be run by the Samos Volunteers. Between October 2017 and February 2018, an MSF team held a medical intervention in the Vathy police station, in collaboration with other organisations and relevant authorities. During the intervention, MSF visited detainees every two weeks to improve access to healthcare services, ensure the administration of essential medication and make referrals to the local hospital. In January 2018, a significant part of the shelter capacity was handed over to Greek NGO ARSIS, in the framework of the phasing out of MSF’s presence by March 2018. However, due to the deterioration of living conditions in Vathy camp MSF returned in Samos to implement a three-month medical intervention focused on mental health and travel medicine services for the refugees and migrants living there. 18 © Anna Pantelia
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