Immigrants were vulnerable people who went through a very difficult journey where they often faced violence and abuse, Médecins Sans Frontières said in a statement in which it urged European governments to respect the life, dignity and healthcare of migrants and asylum seekers .
It said that asylum seekers and undocumented migrants were bearing the brunt of increasingly restrictive policies which took a toll on their physical and mental health.
“Escaping conflict, deprivation or widespread violations of human rights, they endure long and dangerous journeys to Europe.
“Yet when they finally reach Europe, many face prolonged detention, appalling living conditions and a lack of access to healthcare.
“Others remain trapped outside Europe or are intercepted and sent back to countries where their health and lives may be at risk.”
Ahead of International Migrants Day, the international humanitarian organisation urged policy makers across Europe to respect the life and dignity of migrants and asylum seekers and improve their access to basic services, including shelter and healthcare.
MSF said that border control policies implemented by the European Union or individual member states left many undocumented migrants and asylum seekers trapped on the outskirts of Europe for long periods of time or force them back to the places where they come from.
In Greece and Malta, MSF’s work in detention centres for undocumented migrants and asylum seekers revealed high rates of depression, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder.
“In the detention centres we find overcrowding and horrible hygiene conditions. Also, being detained without actually having committed any crime and the uncertainty for their future is incredibly frustrating,” said Christos Papaioannou, MSF field coordinator in Greece.
MSF said immigrants were vulnerable people who went through a very difficult journey where they often faced violence and abuse.
“When they finally reach Europe, hoping it to be the end of a series of traumatic events, they are greeted with detention, horrible living conditions, limited access to healthcare and exclusion from society.
“It is paramount that migration policies in Europe respect the life and dignity of these individuals and improve their access to medical care, including psychological support,” said Liesbeth Schockaert, MSF’s humanitarian affairs advisor.