organisations. At the same time, volunteers and activists who want to provide support for refugees have no free access to these camps, but instead encounter many obstacles during cumbersome registration procedures. While the state appears not to provide almost any of the support for vulnerable refugees required by law, the Greek public health system is also suffering from severe underfunding and understaffing, which makes it very difficult to provide support even for the small number of vulnerable refugees who are identified and referred. Many hospitals have closed or are lacking in basic medical and other provisions. It should be noted, however, that in most of the cases documented, doctors, nurses and other health professionals were very co-operative in helping refugees, in just the same manner as they were helping Greek nationals. However, there were also single negative experiences reported, where the sick were left to wait for hours before being examined and treated and/or where they encountered racist behaviour of individual hospital employees. One major problem identified in public hospitals, as reported by refugees and volunteers, is a lack of interpreters and a lack of available beds. Reportedly, in many cases where no beds were available, sick people were returned to the desolate camps the very same day they had been admitted to hospital. The same happens with pregnant women, who, after giving birth, immediately are returned to the camps. There is a very limited number of places reserved to accommodate some families with their newborns for the first week after birth at NGO-run accommodation places, while the mothers with their babies have to return to the emergency reception sites promptly to make space for the next ones. Additionally, many refugees complained that the medication required was not available free of charge, and that they had to leave hospitals by their own means, which in many cases, where no money was available to pay for a taxi or other kinds of public transport, meant walking back to the camps no matter how far away they were. Picture 3: Z. has to stay in Schisto in a tent while she is in a very difficult health condition. Copyright © Katja Lihtenvalner   6