7. Health they did not want an inmate to fill in.139 In other cases we were told, that there were no interpreters available at the hospitals. »I was brought to the hospital three times. Twice I was not even examined thoroughly and they told me I am healthy. The third time I was examined. The doctors told me I need to have an operation, but I have to pay for it. The police said that there was no money for an operation. There was no interpreter so I could not explain my problem.«140 S.A. from Iran had similar problems in the hospital: »I had breast cancer. I had two operations in Iran: The first to remove the cancer, and the second was a plastic surgery. That was only recently. The doctor in Iran had told me after the operation that I should not go for swimming and not wash myself with cold water. Here we have only cold water. I have no choice. »I felt fear, desperation and anger. I just wanted freedom. Then I hurt myself.« S.R.B., from Iran141 ■ S.R.B. is an asylum seeker from Iran. He was arrested on January 21, 2011, and brought to Fylakio detention centre where he stayed for four months in total. From the beginning, he suffered from mental problems, but he encountered severe problems in being referred to psychological healthcare. During detention he injured himself. »I had no place to sleep. Only after 15 days did we receive some mattresses. The ones who have been in detention longest set the rules in the cells and they have the best beds. We were sometimes four persons sleeping in one bed. Others had to sleep on the floor on cardboards in between the bunk beds. It was hot, there were many insects, the toilets were smelling bad being full of sewage, and also the garbage, that remained for many days inside the cell stank abominably. We had hot water only every 10 days. In four months, I had been given soap twice, and never shampoo nor toothpaste. I didn’t cut my nails in all of the time. When I asked the police for a scissor, they replied: ›Eat them!‹ We had not enough food and we had to eat on the floor like animals. We were always sitting in the dark. We couldn’t go out. We couldn’t make phone calls because we had no money. Nobody could send us money. The situation was devastating. I felt fear, desperation and anger. I just wanted freedom. Then I hurt myself. I saw the police bringing some women out in the middle of the night. I saw them beating the children on their heads. 139 N.H. from Iraq; April 14, 2011 – Soufli 140 H.H. from Iraq; October 13, 2011 – Tychero 43 Now by breast has swollen and I suffer from pain. The doctors and nurses in the hospital could not understand me. They were searching for cancer, and since they didn’t find it, they said I was fine.« Detainees also complained that doctors would not visit them regularly in their cells, had no regard for their complaints about pains or other health problems, and were uncaring. Migrants therefore tend to gather at the doors of the cells and call out for medical assistance. This may result in the weakest or sickest not being noticed. I could not sleep. Sometimes I heard voices. I felt terrorized. I could not eat. I was crying all the time. I needed psychiatric support. I had problems with my skin due to frostbite. From the time I crossed the border, I had been in the cold. The doctor gave me only Depon (Paracetamol(. He didn’t even pay attention to me. In the neighbouring cell were the minors. At some point one of them had problems with his kidney. He was shouting for the doctor for three hours. Only then a police officer came. The doctor came to see him the next day.« S.R.B. had a psychiatric background. From his arrest, it took the responsible authorities four months to identify him as vulnerable and to register his problems. Inmates had repeatedly insisted that he needed help. On the May 17, he was transferred for the first time to a health centre where the doctor diagnosed a psychiatric disorder and fixed an appointment at the psychiatric clinic for the 21st of the same month. Obviously, he needed further therapy and hospitalisation. Anyway, the day of the appointment there was no police vehicle available for transfer to the hospital. He was released on the same day without being informed why, nor was he given money, medication, medical certificates or personal belongings. He was found by a GCR-lawyer who finally organised his transfer to the hospital where he stayed for two days. Until today, he is undergoing psychiatric treatment, therapy and medication. The period of detention deteriorated his mental health condition. 141 S.R.B. from Iran; May 25, 2011 – Athens (former detainee in Fylakio)