A report from the Greek branch of Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières – MSF) has raised alarm after six young children living in the EU-funded migrant camp on the island of Samos were diagnosed with moderate to severe acute malnutrition—the first such cases documented at the facility since it opened in 2021.
The affected children, aged between 6 months and 6 years, come from families recently arrived from Afghanistan and Syria. While it remains unclear whether the children were already suffering from malnutrition upon arrival, MSF officials say the living conditions within the camp have significantly worsened their health.
“The situation in the camp is aggravating existing vulnerabilities,” said MSF Greece’s Director General Christina Psarra in a statement released Monday. “Children make up about 25% of the camp’s population, yet pediatric care is grossly insufficient—not just in the facility, but across the entire island of Samos.”
Psarra emphasised that while food is provided within the camp, the meals lack the nutritional value necessary for children of such young ages. She also noted that the elimination of a financial stipend for asylum seekers nine months ago has deprived families of the ability to purchase fresh produce and other essential items.
The diagnoses mark the first reported instances of child malnutrition since the so-called “closed controlled access center” opened on Samos nearly four years ago. Built with European Union funding, the heavily secured camp—located 8 kilometers from the island’s main port of Vathy—was designed to replace the island’s former overcrowded migrant settlement. As of this week, it hosts 3,176 people out of a maximum capacity of 3,664.
Greek authorities have not yet responded to the MSF report. A statement from the Ministry of Migration and Asylum is expected later Monday.
Psarra highlighted the immense challenges faced by migrant families even before their arrival in Greece, saying, “These children have endured painful and perilous journeys. The current camp conditions are only compounding their suffering.”
Human rights groups have long criticised the Samos facility for inadequate hygiene infrastructure and limited access to clean water, concerns now underscored by MSF’s findings.
The incident comes just days after tragedy struck off the coast of Lesbos, where seven migrants—including three children—drowned after their inflatable boat sank during a crossing from Turkey. Twenty-three survivors were rescued and taken to a reception center on the island.
Greece remains a key entry point into the European Union for those fleeing war and hardship in the Middle East, Africa, and parts of Asia. The eastern Aegean islands, including Samos, continue to bear the brunt of these migration flows, with local infrastructures increasingly strained.