Training on vulnerability protocol at open camps

Sexual and reproductive health, gender – based violence, torture victims, human trafficking, vulnerability assessment

HCDCP has undertaken from the autumn of 2017 the sanitary and psychosocial support of refugees/migrants residing in the open camps. Alongside the provision of primary health care services, the Organization is also responsible according to Law 4375/2016, for the assessment of vulnerability as an important aspect of the asylum procedure. According to the aforementioned law, the categories of people with vulnerability factors include gender – based violence, torture and human trafficking victims, as well as, patients of chronic diseases.

As the protocol for the recognition and management of these population groups have been developed by both HCDCP and international entities, the Organization recently developed the vulnerability assessment protocol and early recognized the need for training of personnel working at the refugee camps on these domain, as it escapes the attention of primary medical and psychosocial care. In this context, the need for personnel training on the rights of asylum seekers/refugees and on the asylum application process has also been recognized.

Furthermore, organizations such as UNHCR, UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), the Hellenic Asylum Service and EASO (European Asylum Support Office) worked together with HCDCP in shaping a comprehensive training programme for health professionals and NGO personnel working on the field. The three day experiential designed program thoroughly examined protocols for the recognition and management of particular population group members as it is foreseen by 2016 law.

The training programme started in Mytilene late October and was completed in Kos in early December. A total of 113 people (physicians, nurses, social workers, psychologists, cultural mediators) were trained (74 from PHILOS programme, 17 health professionals from various NGO’S and eight people from the Reception and Identification Service).

The training programme was administratively and financially supported by UNFPA.