Since the beginning of the hostilities, Médecins du Monde has been supporting displaced populations from Ukraine fleeing their country. Médecins du Monde in Ukraine works to facilitate access to comprehensive healthcare services and address unmet medical needs, including mental health and psychosocial support for conflict-affected populations. In this they shall give particular attention to vulnerable host populations and internally displaced persons. Within Greece, MdM provides psychosocial support, material assistance and information to refugees arriving in our country, while through its housing programmes and its Open Polyclinics in Athens and Thessaloniki, it covers the health care needs of children, women and the chronically ill.
ACTIONS FOR THE SUPPORT
Addressing unmet health needs
- Providing comprehensive primary health care services (including sexual and reproductive health) directly to the population facing severe constraints in accessing health care
- Strengthening the capacity of the public health care system to deliver critical services, ensuring coverage of internally displaced populations and other vulnerable groups and restoring disrupted services (through donations of medical equipment and financial support to health facilities).
- Ensuring access to basic necessities for the internally displaced population and people in areas severely affected by hostilities.
Addressing unmet mental health and psychosocial support needs
- Provide MHPSS services directly to the conflict-affected population
- Strengthening the capacity of the public health system to provide MHPSS services
- Communicate, raise awareness and advocate for mental health and psychosocial support services from the community level to government authorities to reduce stigma and improve access to services.
Strengthening coordination mechanisms to improve the quality and impact of humanitarian aid
- Increase and improve cooperation and networking to engage communities and build resilience with local partners.
- Increase and improve cooperation and networking with NGOs and UN agencies to ensure an integrated and effective approach to humanitarian response.
- Médecins du Monde continuously monitors and adapts its response strategy according to the changing context and security and logistical constraints.
EUROPEAN CITIZENS’ PRIZE 2022
Médecins du Monde Greece has been awarded the European Citizens’ Prize 2022 for its response to the humanitarian crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.