29 I feel pain in my eyes, but she says you don’t have Equal Rights’ experience on the ground. For anything.” Marwan also told us of an example, Ihsan, who at time of his interview experience with a doctor in Leros that was suffering from unexplained fainting spells continues to have lasting impacts on his ability and tooth pain, shared, “I was asked by the police to access healthcare on Kos: if I have money to pay a doctor, otherwise no help is “The doctor on Leros said I was fine, and now that possible.” Farouq was also recommended a is what everyone refers to, but the first time I saw the doctor in Leros there was no interpreter. I couldn't express my symptoms at all, and I could not really understand the interpreter on the phone, so things were lost in translation and confusion. I tried to explain over and over again that I was private doctor after visiting the hospital for his skin condition but was told he would have to pay for it. Further, Equal Rights has also coordinated directly with the police to arrange for NGOs on the island to cover detained persons’ private medical care. having nightmares of scorpions and snakes, but the While private healthcare services are doctor was more like an investigator. The doctor recommended to detained persons, most then said I need to be treated by injections, which detained individuals cannot afford such meant I had to stay longer for treatment and that I services. Rejected asylum seekers have no right should think about treatment. But on Kos my to work and no access to financial benefits situation worsened. On Leros my priorities were such as welfare.72 For asylum seekers, the right not my medical condition, but the longer I stay in to work exists six months after their date of detention, the more I realize that my situation is application, but no such right exists for bad and is becoming worse, but everyone refers to detained persons. Moreover, Equal Rights has doctor's appointment where the doctor stated I was represented more than 100 detained persons fine.” on Kos and has witnessed that clients very iv. Unaffordable and inaccessible private healthcare services rarely have the means to pay for private In general, Kos faces a shortage of public health Even if an individual is able to afford to private services.71 As accessing public healthcare medical care, detained persons share that services is difficult if not impossible for making an appointment is still incredibly detained persons, detained persons are difficult. Kenan shared that even when he tried sometimes referred to private healthcare to make an appointment with a private doctor, services they would have to pay for themselves “Nothing happens.” Thus, detained persons – a trend shared in the last report. When asked often lack access to both public and private about this practice in a December 2022 healthcare, leaving them with no options to meeting, the police insisted that the state receive necessary medical treatment. covers private medical care for detained v. Mental Health Care persons. Yet this contradicts both the firsthand testimony of detained persons as well as 71 EPT News, Ερώτηση ΚΚΕ: Κινδυνεύουν χιλιάδες κάτοικοι και επισκέπτες λόγω έλλειψης Παθολόγου Πνευμονολόγου στο Νοσοκομείο medical care. The November 2021 report explained that the Κω (15 December 2022), available at: https://bit.ly/3JalVlu. 72 Art. 57(3) L. 4939/2022. ‘Still detained and forgotten’ – Update on Detention Policies, Practices, and Conditions on Kos 2022/23