KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Six children from Afghanistan and Syria have been diagnosed with acute malnutrition in a migrant camp on the Greek island of Samos, according to Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
In a statement released Monday, the charity revealed that the children, aged between six months and six years, are facing life-threatening conditions and urgently require medical intervention to prevent further health complications.
Christina Psarra, MSF’s director general in Greece, underscored the severity of the situation, stating, “No child should suffer from malnutrition due to systemic neglect.” Psarra called for immediate action, highlighting that children make up nearly a quarter of the camp’s population.
“Refugee families already endure extreme hardships traveling through multiple countries while facing food insecurity and a lack of medical care,” she said. “Children are especially vulnerable to the cumulative effects of prolonged malnutrition.”
According to MSF, all six malnourished children arrived at the Samos camp this year. The organization has urged both Greek authorities and European Union institutions to ensure a safer environment for refugee children, including providing adequate pediatric healthcare and financial assistance.
In response, the Greek migration ministry told Reuters that the cases of malnutrition were isolated incidents. “Under no circumstances is there generalized malnutrition due to living conditions,” the ministry stated, adding that asylum-seekers are provided with three meals a day.
Greece remains a key entry point into the European Union for people fleeing conflict, political instability, and economic hardship, including Afghan nationals who continue to face significant challenges in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
The Samos camp, funded by the European Union and opened by the Greek government in 2021 to replace the overcrowded Vathy camp, is heavily secured and surrounded by barbed wire. Human rights organizations have long criticized the facility for poor sanitation, limited access to clean water, and a lack of basic services. Amnesty International has described the conditions at the camp as “inhuman and degrading.”
In addition to the malnutrition crisis, reports of sex trafficking within the camp have raised further concerns. Last year, UN experts expressed alarm after identifying 285 potential trafficking victims among 2,170 migrants who arrived in 2022. The experts accused Greek authorities of failing to adequately identify and protect victims of trafficking, particularly women and children, within the camp.
