ATHENS, Greece (AP) – A medical charity operating in Greece has reported diagnosing six young children living in a migrant facility on the eastern Aegean island of Samos with malnutrition. This is the first time such a diagnosis has been made since the facility opened in 2021. The Greek branch of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced the diagnoses on Monday, highlighting the critical health concerns faced by vulnerable populations within the camp.
The affected children, aged between 6 months and 6 years, have been identified as suffering from moderate to severe acute malnutrition, necessitating immediate medical intervention. Christina Psarra, the Director General of MSF Greece, emphasized that children constitute approximately 25% of the camp's population; however, adequate pediatric care is lacking both in the center and across the island of Samos.
These six children arrived in the camp, which currently houses 3,176 individuals, with their families in the last two to three months. Their countries of origin are Afghanistan and Syria. It remains unclear whether the children had been malnourished prior to their arrival, but Psarra indicated that conditions in the camp have severely exacerbated their health issues. She noted that while meals are provided to residents, they do not constitute a nutritionally adequate diet for children of such young ages.
The situation is further complicated by the cessation nine months prior of a stipend that was granted to asylum seekers in Greece, which had previously allowed families to purchase nutritious food and essential items. The migrant facility, funded by the European Union, is classified as a "closed controlled access center." It was established on a hillside approximately 8 kilometers (5 miles) from Vathy, the island's main port, to replace an overcrowded camp that had formed on the outskirts of the town.
The facility, which is overseen by police and private security, has a designed capacity for 3,664 individuals. Rights organizations have raised alarms about dire conditions within the camp, citing issues such as poor sanitation and limited access to running water. Psarra lamented the plight of the malnourished children, noting that they had already endured arduous journeys to reach Samos, making their current living conditions even more distressing.
Greece is a key entry point into the European Union for individuals fleeing conflict and poverty, particularly from regions in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Many migrants undertake dangerous and precarious boat trips from the Turkish coast to islands like Samos, often in unstable inflatable dinghies. Just last week, at least seven individuals, including three children, tragically lost their lives near another Greek island, Lesbos, when the dinghy they were on capsized. Fortunately, 23 survivors were rescued and taken to a migrant camp on Lesbos.
As conditions continue to deteriorate in migrant camps across Greece, health organizations like MSF are calling for immediate attention to address the needs of vulnerable populations, particularly children, who are disproportionately affected by inadequate living conditions and insufficient medical care.
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