While the overall number of people arriving in Greece by sea decreased by 23.4 per cent compared with 2024, many thousands continued to land on islands in the Aegean throughout 2025. During the year, Greece intensified its restrictive approach to migration, exacerbating poor reception conditions. Meanwhile, the authorities also reduced or suspended some services, like housing and cash assistance, that they had previously taken over from the UN and other organisations, leaving many asylum seekers unable to meet basic needs.
On Crete, which was the first entry point for 47 per cent of sea arrivals, MSF conducted medical consultations and distributed hygiene kits to people on disembarkation.
Four thousand people arrived on Lesbos, where MSF continued to offer a range of services, comprising basic healthcare, mental health and psychosocial support, sexual and reproductive healthcare, health promotion activities, and referrals for legal services for people living in Mavrovouni Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC).
From January to October 2025, MSF ran a mobile unit delivering the same support in the CCAC and the public hospital on Leros.
Over 5,000 people arrived on Samos,4 leading to severe overcrowding at the CCAC for several months. Gaps in state provision meant that many people struggled to obtain basic healthcare, while disruptions to referrals left others without access to specialised treatment. MSF ran mobile clinics inside the CCAC and at a day centre in Vathi to increase the availability of care.
MSF also provided emergency medical assistance to people as they arrived on Samos and Lesbos, after either a shipwreck or making landfall, which often happened following several pushbacks, according to their testimonies. This work included offering medical and psychological assistance, and distributing food and other essential items.
In May, after nearly a decade of providing medical, psychosocial, social, and legal support to migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees, we closed our day care centre in Athens to refocus our efforts elsewhere in line with our medical-humanitarian work. The centre delivered general healthcare and mental health consultations, as well as treatment for sexual violence.
