May 2019 | Reception crisis in Northern Greece: three years of emergency solutions Refugees speaking to RSA were worried about access to medical assistance as among the camps residents were vulnerable persons such as pregnant women young children, persons with chronic conditions and victims of torture. Those interviewed were concerned about the limitations in the services provided by EODY and the visiting army doctor including the lack of psychologist and gynaecologist in the camp. They stated, that by the end of 2018 until today there were weeks where only nurses were present and no doctor was visiting. Residents told RSA that a paediatrician was visiting the camp once a week. Limited interpretation was another cause of worry. At the time of RSA’s initial research in August 2018, there was only an Arab interpreter and no interpreter for Farsi in the camp. Refugees needing hospital or specialized treatment had to travel to Arta or Ioannina and to buy medicines they had to go to a pharmacy located 4km away in Filippiada village. They were also very worried about the time that an ambulance would take to come to the camp in emergency cases. Transport costs to access health care, and other services found only in Athens and Thessaloniki (i.e. for victims of torture) added to their concerns. / ASB was providing for free transfers to Ioannina and Arta regularly on specific days.cvi “When my son had to be transferred to hospital for his infection, the ambulance took him to Arta. There was no dermatologist that day. We were then told we had to go back on our own and find our way to Ioannina hospital. What will happen if one of us has an emergency case?” Baha R.* (40)cvii from Iran, Filippiada camp She escaped with her husband Amir K.* (50), who is a victim of torture and their two children. They arrived in Filippiada camp from Vaghiochori. “My husband sleeps at the door of our container to protect us. Some women here lost their babies and had miscarriages from the stress and fear. I am lucky my baby was born healthy. I was scared because we are far from the hospital. I got asthma from the life in a container. Actually, this is not a life… . We don’t have a today and there is no hope for a tomorrow.” Parwana K.* (38)cviii from Afghanistan, recognized refugee, Filippiada camp She fled with her husband Mohammad L.* (40) and their three children. They arrived from Lesvos island and left Greece by the end of 2018. Those interviewed spoke about their worry about lack of security in the camp and fights breaking between refugees and said there were problems with the weak electricity. “Recently there was a big fight with knives. How should we protect them here? During the fight we escaped outside of the camp and hugged our children tight until it was over. That night we slept outside of the camp from fear. They built a playground for the children now https://rsaegean.org/en/reception-crisis-in-northern-greece-three-years-of-emergency-solutions 18