LAST week hundreds of women refugees descended on Lesbos’s main town of Mytilene with a single message to the Greek authorities - let us leave Moria, it is not safe for us! The notorious camp, which has now surpassed its official capacity of 3,000 by 1,000 per cent, is rife with violence, disease and a growing sense of helplessness.

Many residents suffer from trauma, medical conditions or a combination of both. But the small medical NGOs in the camp are not equipped to deal with the huge demand, while the local hospital is overwhelmed without the staff or medical facilities to cope with a 20 per cent increase in the island’s population. 

After volunteering for over a year in medical NGOs in the sprawling camp, Canadian Katie Muirhead decided to do something to tackle the health crisis on the island. This month, the project she co-founded, Healthbridge Medical Organisation, will open its doors for the first time, providing on-site urgent care in the camp. Once open the centre will offer primary and secondary care as well as long-term psychological support. By treating minor illnesses early on and catching emergencies before they become “full-blown” emergencies, Maurhead hopes the centre will also alleviate some of the burden on the local hospital.