Thousands of refugees, mostly from Syria, are arriving to Roszke, on the Serbia-Hungary border. They are both physically and psychologically exhausted after a long and dangerous journey by sea and road across several countries, says Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières. Some 2,000 people are crossing over the border daily.
"The needs in Roszke are enormous," says Teresa Sancristoval, project manager for MSF's Emergency Unit in Roszke. "This is the first place they arrive after having been on the road for weeks since setting off from Greece. They can stay here for up to a few days, so they need information, food, water, latrines, showers, and protection from the cold, as temperatures can drop to three degrees [Celcius] at night. With the heavy rains that we are facing now, the conditions are worsening. We have to be ready, as we foresee that this situation will continue for a while."
MSF teams have set up a mobile clinic and have cared for 400 people in four days. Most of the patients (60 percent) are children with respiratory problems, followed by women (30 percent), many of whom are pregnant, in addition to men with infected wounds from the long walks and from jumping fences. According to medical staff, the exhausting journey has weakened their immune systems and those suffering from chronic diseases have had no access to medications.
Negotiations are ongoing with the Hungarian government to expand the activities and improve the quality of the services offered to the refugees and migrants crossing the border.
