The COVID-19 Pandemic and Refugees in Greece: A New Challenge for Healthcare Service Provision, Public Health Programmes and Policymaking

Abstract

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted everyone’s life globally, nevertheless, its impact on refugees and migrants has been particularly profound. This chapter analyses key parameters on the living and healthcare provision conditions for these groups, the obstacles to access and to service provision, and the institutional context in Greece – a country with a large number of refugees and one of the main ports of entry to Europe. The impact of COVID-19 is examined in relation to containment, care provision and preparedness measures, with special reference to the conditions in the refugee settlements and to capturing the measures implemented over the first two years of the pandemic. Comprehensive contextualisation is achieved by examining EU legislation and policies, the Greek care provision system and obstacles to its access; an overview of key characteristics for optimal care delivery is also provided. The existing body of evidence on health and hygiene is reviewed along with key regulatory and legislative aspects, to inform the current debate, research and policy. The role of health information, mediation, public health messaging and risk communication is also briefly examined, together with key considerations in terms of social cohesion and societal resilience. Brief recommendations in terms of health and social policy, with relevance to national and local authorities, and all relevant stakeholders, are made, aiming to reduce the harm, as well as collateral damage, and to inform future policies for public health programmes and care provision for these groups. Given the changing refugee landscape due to the current war in Ukraine, which has resulted in a new wave of displaced persons within the European area, particular attention is needed on the potential disparities that may be created amongst different refugee groups that ought to be protected to the same degree.