Serbia: Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support

Male Patient: Beaten

Violence among Refugees

After the closure of the Western Balkan route, refugee camps in Serbia are counting, every month, a higher number of refugees spending a longer time in Serbia or looking at an indefinite stay. Due to the lack of integration programs and psychosocial support in the camps, refugees are left alone to struggle with life in isolation and uncertainty. We are faced every day with a high number of violence reports, which are a reflection of the poor living conditions that refugees are forced to endure.

A male patient came to us during the night, between the 30th and 31th of March. He told us that he was beaten by three unknown men inside the camp. Local findings included deformity of the bones of the face, especially the nasal bone. He also had blood contusions around his nose and eyes. We took him to the ER, where he was examined, and head scans and an x-ray of the facial bones were performed. He was diagnosed with multiple fractures of the nose, which required an operation. We requested support to relocate the patient to another camp due to protection concerns.

Note: Due to privacy and safety concerns, many patients do not wish to have their photo taken.

9-month-old Boy: Bacterial Pneumonia

Holistic Care for Baby and Family

A 9-month-old boy was referred to RMF doctors by the medical team working in a state-run refugee camp. The boy had presented with a fever, cough, and trouble breathing for more than a month. On various occasions, the infant was treated in the camp with oral antibiotics, but they had no effect. Over a period of three days, the boy’s symptoms became worse, and doctors from the camp requested support from our team. After examination and assessment, our team escorted the boy and his mother directly to the University Children’s Hospital in Belgrade. There, he was diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia and was immediately admitted to the hospital. Doctors also noted that the infant was neurologically underdeveloped for his age.

According to hospital regulations in Serbia, the mother should stay in the hospital with her child. As she was a single mother traveling with two children, it was a challenge to provide facilities and accommodation for the second, healthy child.

The mother reported that her older son was being molested by the other family that they share space with in the camp. RMF’s team reported the incident to Serbian Social Services. We also provided provide diapers for the infant. After two weeks, he was discharged, full recovered. The family was transferred back to the camp. RMF provided a comprehensive report regarding the case to the camp officials, who were advised to call RMF in case the boy’s medical condition deteriorated.

18-year-old Boy: Hand Wound

Sports Injuries

In Belgrade city center, there are a number of young refugee boys who play their favorite sport: cricket. Our mobile medical team has treated a number of sports injuries. In this case, an 18-year-old boy from Afghanistan was playing cricket and fell on his right hand.

On examination, the wound was clean. However, it was three centimeters long, two centimeters wide, and one centimeter deep. Because of the wound’s depth, he was taken to the ER, where he received an anti-tetanus shot, antibiotics, and stitches.

16-year-old Boy: Severe Frostbite

Extreme Cold and Exposure

In January and February of 2017, the weather and living conditions for refugees and migrants in Serbia were extremely hard. This was due to the low temperatures, sometimes as low as -16°C, and our beneficiaries’ ongoing exposure to the cold weather. During January, refugees and migrants in the Belgrade city center suffered severe forms of frostbite. Below is just one example of our cases:

A 16-year-old boy from Algeria was diagnosed by RMF’s team with frostbite on his right index finger. Due to the clinical appearance of second to third-degree frostbite, he was taken directly to the Clinic for Plastic Surgery at the Clinical Center of Serbia. In the clinic, the wound was cleaned, and ongoing dressings and follow-up indicated. We followed up with the patient for a month. Due to his age, situation of traveling alone, and fear of possible surgery to his finger, he did not comply with the prescribed wound dressing and other therapy, which resulted in deterioration of his condition.

The case was further compounded by the boy’s unresolved legal status in the country, which meant that hospitals refused to treat him. These factors led to further necrosis of the finger.

In February, it was assessed again, and decided that his finger required amputation. We feared that he could lose his whole hand. Surgery was scheduled and the amputation performed mid February.

16-year-old Boy: Abscess

Skin Infections

At the end of March, we were engaged in treating many cases of skin infection, due to poor hygiene conditions in the informal, self-organized refugee camp “the Barracks.” One such case is of a 16-year-old boy who was bitten by a mosquito on the lower left leg. Despite antibiotic therapy, the bite developed into an abscess.

RMF provided referral services to a clinic, where incision and drainage of the abscess were performed. We provided daily wound dressing and therapy, and he made a full recovery.