Budapest's Medical School Graduates Return To Hungary To Help Migrants

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

We have seen some vivid scenes from one European government decidedly not eager to receive refugees. Hungarian authorities are under fire for their treatment of migrants. Critics say Hungarian police lack the basics, like translators, to communicate with the Arabic speakers. As Lauren Frayer reports from Budapest, volunteers from elsewhere have jumped in to help.

LAUREN FRAYER, BYLINE: As migrants make their way through Budapest's Keleti Station, they're greeted by someone with a familiar look, Kaveh Chamsai, a Swedish-Iranian doctor with a big, bushy Islamic beard. He's part of a group of...

KAVEH CHAMSAI: Farsi, Dari and Arabic-speaking doctors who are here on the spot.

FRAYER: They're graduates of Budapest's renowned medical school, and they've flown back to their alma mater to help migrants, some of whom are fleeing countries these doctors left themselves.

CHAMSAI: No matter the politics and no matter what is going to happen in the future, the truth in the situation is that there's a lot of people in need and a lot of people who need help.

FRAYER: Chamsai flew in from Sweden on his own dime and brought nearly $20,000 in donations from friends there. They're treating people for dehydration, exhaustion and helped deliver a baby in the station's garage last week. For NPR News, I'm Lauren Frayer in Budapest. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.