Lampedusa CPSA, holding centre (first aid centre).
Men are kept in a different area from the women and under-age. Once identified, people wait to be called to depart to another centre.
Since January 2008 more than 6500 migrants have landed on the Italian islands of Lampedusa on more than 100 boats and dinghies, after a journey that lasts between 2 and 4 days. Around 60% come from Maghreb, 18% east africa, 15 west africa and the rest from Subcontinental Indian and middle east. In the last 3 years more than 50000 people have arrived on board more than 700 boats. This may be just the last leg of a migration that has taken years.
Once they’ve landed, migrants are identified by the police and kept inside the cpsa (centro primo soccorso accoglienza) (first aid centre) for few days, then redirected to other centres where they can stay longer and have their future decided. Some of them are granted asylum and others are sent back home. MSF has been in Lampedusa since 2002 operating a medical triage and first aid on the dock for the migrants as they land.
On-spec
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