CIVIL SOCIETY: 269 PRACTICES
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization which provides independent, impartial assistance to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition,exclusion from health care, or natural disasters.
Read more: www.msf.gr
Main objective:
To support the development of preparedness and the response plan.
Specific objectives:
(i) To facilitate access to diagnosis and treatment of malaria to the general population, including, migrants and Roma.
(ii) To increase screening capacity for the diagnosis of malaria in the areas of intervention.
(iii) To provide early supervised full quality treatment for malaria.
(iv) To reduce transmission of malaria by providing impregnated mosquito nets to all beneficiaries (with focus on migrants and Roma population). (v) To implement relevant IEC activities for the public regarding personal protection measures against mosquitoes.
(vi) To provide basic health care and to improve the basic living conditions of vulnerable groups in the area of Evrotas.
(vii) To develop relevant operational advocacy towards the local, national and international bodies (MoH, WHO, ECDC, EU etc.).
(viii) To perform operational research on the effectiveness of RDTs in asymptomatic cases.
Total population of the area (10.000 Greek residents and 2.000 migrant seasonal workers).
March - October 2012
Malaria was officially eliminated from Greece in 1974. In 2009, a cluster of 8 domestic malaria cases occurred in Evrotas area, Lakonia, southern Greece. In 2011, 63 autochthonous cases of Plasmodium vivax infection were reported in Greece, of whom 57 from the same area of Evrotas. This was the first large malaria outbreak that occurred in Europe since the elimination of the disease, suggesting that the risk of re-establishment of malaria is high.
This outbreak came in a period when Greece was experiencing its worst economic crisis, and current socioeconomic conditions, healthcare and public health infrastructures were seriously disrupted. Thus, the local public health capacity to deal with the malaria situation was limited and since this is a forgotten disease, clinical awareness and laboratory capacity were also very limited. Rapid diagnostic tests and impregnated mosquito nets, which have proved effective in malaria control programmes, were not available in the country. The purpose of an MSF intervention was to strengthen the existing services and provide services that other actors can not provide.
MSF teams conducted more than 10,000 temperature measurements (active search) and more than 300 malaria rapid diagnostic tests in the local population. They also provided primary health care to 791 people observing they suffer primarily from respiratory infections, skin diseases and musculoskeletal disorders. Moreover, MSF team in collaboration with HCDCP organized health education sessions to local communities in order to inform them and sensitize them regarding malaria and the necessary preventive measures to tackle the disease. During its presence the organization held 21 sessions in the region. With regard to the prevention and protection of the local population, MSF distributed repellents in high-risk groups, and supported local health structures by providing rapid diagnostic tests and microscopy, and contributing to staff training to diagnose and treat the disease in the initial stages.
Evrotas area, Lakonia
HCDCP and local authorities
Programs implemented by qualified staff of Medecins Sans Frontieres.
The organization had the opportunity to convey the experience gained from international action and contribute to the prevention, epidemiological surveillance, clinical management, laboratory diagnosis and control of disease vectors. Therefore, the staff and the mechanism of the organization confirmed its ability to operate effectively and provide services in situations where other organizations do not know or do not have the necessary means, knowledge and experience to deal with.
No Connection with Global Goals found