Serbia: Mobile Medical Clinic
Stationary Clinic Steps in to Continue Caring for Refugees: Q1 2019
June 01, 2019
Mirko Rudić, Dr. Dragana Marković, and the RMF Balkans Team
Summary of Activities
Since January 2016, RMF Balkans has been responding to the refugee crisis in Serbia by providing comprehensive protection and medical services to persons of concern. Our teams began by working 24/7 throughout the Belgrade city center, and when most refugees and migrants in the area were relocated to refugee camps, RMF Balkans and its medical services moved to the camps along with our patients.
Currently, our team of doctors, dentists, medical support workers, and cultural mediators/translators is working primarily at Obrenovac Reception and Transit Centre, the second largest refugee camp in Serbia, which is home to over 700 refugee boys and men.
RMF Balkans also provides interpretation and translation services to refugees at Obrenovac Reception and Transit Centre and in the Belgrade city center. In addition, we provide medical transportation and escort services to primary, secondary, and tertiary medical care facilities in both Belgrade and Obrenovac from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM, seven days a week. During this reporting period, 139 people were referred to medical care facilities in Belgrade and Obrenovac.
RMF Balkans continued to build and maintain partnerships through the following activities:
- Continued to participate in monthly health cluster meetings in Belgrade, conducted by the Ministry of Health and supported by the World Health Organization and the heads of Serbian health centers. At the meetings, we assessed and discussed medical needs, priorities, and service gaps for this period as well as next year in an effort to build the capacity of health systems to respond to the refugee and migrant situation.
- Participated in weekly coordination meetings conducted in Obrenovac by the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration and supported by all organizations working at the Obrenovac Reception and Transit Centre: Save the Children, Center for Youth Integration, Caritas, Oxfam, Danish Refugee Council, SOS Children’s Villages, Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation, and International Organization for Migration.
- Participated in meetings with the Director of Obrenovac Health Centre as needed.
- Communicated with the Institute for Public Health through weekly reports.
During the first quarter of 2019, RMF Balkans faced technical challenges that affected the operations of our programs in the Balkans. Since February 4, 2019, RMF Balkans has been unable to use its Mobile Medical Clinic and Mobile Dental Clinic. The Asylum Resource Center (ARC) Project is also on standby until the challenges are resolved. Thanks to the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration, however, RMF Balkans was able to reinstate services at the stationary clinic in Obrenovac Reception and Transit Centre, where we continue to provide medical and cultural mediation services. We hope to resume our mobile clinics and other programs in the near future.

Results &
ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Stationary Clinic
To The Rescue!
The Mobile Medical Clinic teams were forced to put services on hold in early February 2019 but were able to resume services at the stationary clinic in Obrenovac Reception and Transit Centre in March 2019.
By providing a medical team consisting of one to two doctors, one cultural mediator/translator, and two drivers, 20 to 40 health consultations can be facilitated per shift, as well as referrals to secondary and tertiary care facilities.

Many Helped
Overcoming Challenges
Because of technical challenges, the Mobile Medical Clinic teams ceased operations from February 4, 2019 to March 11, 2019. However, in January and March, RMF Balkans performed 1,878 health consultations in the Obrenovac camp and Belgrade city center. All of the beneficiaries were boys and men, most of whom were from Pakistan (48) and Afghanistan (43). Patients’ ages ranged from 18 to over 58 years old.

Variety of Conditions
Providing Treatment
During this reporting period, RMF doctors treated a total of 591 patients with acute upper respiratory tract infections, such as the common cold, pharyngitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, and tonsillitis. Our team also treated 111 beneficiaries with different types of wounds and insect bites. Due to poor hygiene and living conditions in the camps, 144 patients were treated for scabies and 176 for local skin infections.

Background
& Objectives
Background
RMF provides primary healthcare and emergency triage services at our Obrenovac Transit Centre mobile medical clinic from 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM, 5 days a week. The work is implemented by a medical team consisting of 1 to 2 doctors, 1 cultural mediator/translator, and 2 drivers. This ensures that emergency cases arriving at the clinic can immediately access referrals to secondary and tertiary care facilities. By providing primary healthcare services, referrals, and cultural mediation, RMF improves the wellbeing of refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers in Belgrade and Obrenovac.
Objectives
- Improve the health status and overall wellbeing of refugees in Obrenovac Reception and Transit Centre and greater Belgrade.
- Provide medical and translation services to refugees and act as cultural mediators for them at public institutions in Serbia.
- Refer, transport, and escort refugees and asylum seekers to secondary and tertiary medical care facilities in Belgrade.

More
Photos
Click to enlarge










More Reports on: Mobile Medical Clinic Archive
Country Page: Serbia
Initiative Page: Mobile Medical Clinic