Supporting Holistic Health Care Response in Islands' Reception and Accommodation Centres

Duration: June 2021 – April 2023

Description: Given the dynamic migration context in Greece, the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and health concerns across migrant settings at sea borders (Northern Aegean islands), IOM in coordination with the Greek authorities aims at reinforcing health care across the five (5) Reception and Identification Centers (RICs) on the islands of Lesvos, Samos, Chios, Leros and Kos. The Project will contribute to improving access to appropriate health care for migrants residing in the RICs, while at the same time relieving the burden off the national health care system, which is currently under pressure due to the high migrant population on the islands in need of health care, coupled with its limited capacity in terms of both staff and resources -which in turns puts barriers to handling the RICs' caseload efficiently.

IOM aims to support the Greek authorities in setting up medical facilities within the RICs (biochemistry laboratories and radiology units) and providing specialized staff to assist with their operation. Specifically, within the scope of the proposed Project, IOM will proceed with the procurement and installation of containers in the islands of Lesvos, Chios, Leros and Kos, and with the needed refurbishment of the existing medical facility (building) in Samos to serve as biochemistry laboratories and radiology units. At the same time the human resource capacity of the said facilities will be enhanced through the deployment of licensed health professionals, namely senior laboratory technicians and radiologists. The staff will work under the supervision of the National Public Health Organization (EODY) that is the national health actor, and in collaboration with the IOM teams deployed under the GoA-funded Project.

Objectives:

Migrants have access to health screening and effective and patient-centered primary health care through:

• The set-up of biochemistry laboratories and radiology units in the RICs of Lesvos, Chios, Leros and Kos and Samos. The biochemistry laboratory will support the performance of basic hematology and biochemical testing and the radiology unit will support the capacity to support digital radiology (teleradiology). IOM will undertake the construction of the facilities in coordination with RIS.
• The recruitment and deployment of health professionals to support the operation of these medical facilities.

Donor

Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic 

Target group(s):

Migrants, including applicants and beneficiaries of international protection residing in Reception and Identification Centres (RICs)

Partner(s):

Reception and Identification Service (RIS), National Public Health Organization (EODY)

Areas of action: 

Lesvos, Samos, Chios, Kos, Leros