The mobile clinic operated by Doctors for Human Rights (MEDU) in the Tuscan provinces of Florence, Prato and Pistoia has been forced to suspend its operations after 20 years, the medical charity said in a statement on April 28.

MEDU explained that the shutdown was caused by international funding cuts to humanitarian aid, "proof of how political decisions can have a concrete impact on people's lives".

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Migrant landings have decreased, but not real needs, says MEDU chair

"The funding cuts were sudden and drastic and surprised us," said MEDU President Marco Zanchetta. The cuts "came from international agencies as well as private donors who did not consider as a priority the needs of migrants on the national territory and spontaneously followed the same trend," he explained.

Zanchetta stressed that it was necessary to reflect on the fact that humanitarian aid heavily relies on "large public and private entities," while noting, however, that the most urgent matter was to resume operations.

According to Zanchetta, "while landings on our coasts have decreased, real needs have not", citing in particular "material and mental difficulties" experienced by people in need, which "require increasingly qualified and complex interventions".

"We have been training our operators and our volunteers for years on this. We want to treat and report rights violations and widespread solidarity is what allows us utmost independence."

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Fundraiser launched to reopen the clinic

MEDU's mobile clinic brings medical assistance to the homeless who are not under the care of institutions -- including in squats, makeshift camps, stations and other marginalized contexts -- helping people get in contact with local authorities and the national healthcare service to get the assistance they need, according to the statement.

Many volunteers have worked for the clinic over the years, especially young healthcare workers with precious professional and human experience.

Along with the mobile clinic, MEDU has also opened two medical practices in Tuscany focusing on the mental well-being of the victims of violence and torture.

One of them is also set to be closed, despite its success and the long waiting list of patients, said MEDU, announcing that it is raising funds to reopen the mobile clinic.

"Help us deal with this unprecedented crisis", said the general coordinator of MEDU, Alberto Barbieri. "Today more than ever, at a historic time in which only the logic of strength seems to prevail everywhere against what is right and human, we feel the need to obstinately continue our activity to help the most vulnerable members of the population," he added.

The fundraiser to reopen MEDU's mobile clinic in Tuscany can be found on the website.