A medical NGO known for emergency relief in war zones is treating asylum seekers housed in a disused airbase in James Cleverly’s constituency, the Guardian can reveal.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is offering thrice-weekly clinics to people contained by the Home Office in RAF Wethersfield, Essex, which is based in the home secretary’s Braintree constituency.
It is the first time that MSF, which is known for its work in Gaza, South Sudan and Syria, has offered medical relief specifically for people seeking asylum in the UK.
The organisation, which was founded in France, says it has done so because of the “medical-related harms” that emerge in “large-scale containment sites” such as Wethersfield.
The move will cause some discomfort for the home secretary, whose department has previously insisted that Wethersfield is a safe place for asylum seekers, despite reports of scabies, tuberculosis, mental health problems and violence among people living there.
Javid Abdelmoneim, an operational project manager for MSF, said the organisation had set up the clinic in a joint project with Doctors of the World because of the health problems seen at similar sites in Greece.
He said: “The UK government has openly referenced modelling its use of large-scale containment sites on the Greek approach.
“We know from our extensive work providing medical and humanitarian assistance to people contained in large-scale sites on the Greek islands that these cause serious health-related harm. We have concerns about similar impacts at Wethersfield.”
Three MSF staff treat people held in Wethersfield in a van that is set up near the gates of the base. The use of the former airbase as an asylum centre has been contentious ever since plans were announced in March.
It was set up by the government to reduce the cost of £8m a day spent on housing refugees in hotels. But its remote rural location miles away from any amenities has been criticised, not least by Cleverly himself. The Braintree MP has said that he wants the centre to close down as soon as possible.
Last month, cases of scabies were found at the site and people living there described it as feeling “like a prison”. Local campaigners said the recent unrest underlined their argument that the site was not suitable.
Last month, the Guardian revealed that people housed in the UK’s largest mass accommodation site had attempted to kill themselves and set themselves on fire because of conditions “no different from Libya”.
A report by the Helen Bamber Foundation and the Humans for Rights Network, based on 140 case studies, found the men housed on the site were suffering from a range of problems including low mood, loneliness, flashbacks, reduced appetite, weight loss, feelings of despair and difficulty sleeping, as well as a worsening in symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
By the end of October 2023, 508 men had been placed in Wethersfield – of whom 29% were from Afghanistan, 20% from Iran and 16% from Eritrea. Many are survivors of torture and trafficking and have severe mental health problems.
People held in Wethersfield are treated by the NHS, but refugee charities have criticised the medical provisions for being inadequate.
MSF has previously intervened to treat asylum seekers in other European countries such as France, Greece, Italy and Poland. Insiders said they have targeted migrant routes as well as large-scale containment facilities.
MSF, which was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 1999, provides emergency medical services to people in need in disaster and conflict zones.
It is understood that ministers are considering allowing NGOs to work at accommodation sites. A Home Office spokesperson said: “We continue to meet our legal obligations and provide accommodation for asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute.
“The accommodation provided meets all relevant housing and health and safety standards. All residents at Wethersfield have access to medical support, including mental health support, and a 24/7 helpline provided by Migrant Help is available to raise any concerns.”
