EUROPE-MIGRANTS/WORLD HEALTH SUMMIT WHO boss says will support European governments in providing healthcare to migrants

Record ID: 135470

  • Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/WORLD HEALTH SUMMIT WHO boss says will support European governments in providing healthcare to migrants
  • Date: 11th October 2015
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (OCTOBER 11, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION, MARGARET CHAN (RIGHT) TALKING TO THE FOUNDING PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD HEALTH SUMMIT, DETLEV GANTEN VARIOUS OF ACTING INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD HEALTH SUMMIT SHUNICHI FUKUHARA LISTENING VARIOUS OF WORLD HEALTH SUMMIT PARTICIPANTS TALKING TO EACH OTHER NEWS CONFERENCE WITH WORLD HEALTH SUMMIT OFFICIALS AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION, MARGARET CHAN, SAYING: "WHO supports, because health is a human right but every country is different. You must act within your law. In Germany, I know you are very generous and you require that they be housed in a proper place and served three meals. It's very generous. It's also imposing difficulties and challenges and I've been watching and following the conversation but in solidarity with the people of this world, governments together with their political leaders must make the choices that is relevant for the country. The WHO supports governments in coming up with the right package of healthcare to keep them healthy and that's what we are doing especially in the European region of the WHO." AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) FOUNDING PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD HEALTH SUMMIT, DETLEV GANTEN, SAYING: "And so joining in and bringing medical expertise together with administrative responsibility, of course political responsibility but also the private sector will have to respond because we know that Germany and other countries potentially will benefit from the influx of new people and creative people willing to work and do something for their own but also for the livelihood in the country they live." AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) FOUNDING PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD HEALTH SUMMIT, DETLEV GANTEN, SAYING: "The health problem is no different from the problem in the general population. It's the same diseases, it's the same way doctors treat it, all we need is people on place who know the cultures of people coming in and of course psychological problems, understanding the problems is one important point and there of course we need help because we are not prepared for it. We should have had more foresight." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS VARIOUS OF GANTEN SPEAKING AT OPENING CEREMONY OF SUMMIT
  • Embargoed: 26th October 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA6QD8V4OQ7EQG9YJO6DA6BUFNF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The head of the World Health Organisation said on Sunday (October 11) that she would work to support governments in Europe to create the best possible plans to provide healthcare for migrants arriving in their countries.
    "WHO supports, because health is a human right but every country is different. You must act within your law," said Margaret Chan, the Director-General of the WHO at a news conference in Berlin.
    "In Germany, I know you are very generous and you require that they be housed in a proper place and served three meals. It's very generous. It's also imposing difficulties and challenges and I've been watching and following the conversation but in solidarity with the people of this world, governments together with their political leaders must make the choices that is relevant for the country. The WHO supports governments in coming up with the right package of health care to keep them healthy and that's what we are doing especially in the European region of the WHO," she said ahead of attending the opening of the 2015 World Health Summit in the German capital.
    The founding president of the 2-day summit, which will focus on the healthcare for refugees, ebola, the digital health revolution and climate change, said it was necessary for governments to bring together medical expertise and administrative responsibility to supply the care for the migrants.
    But he added that the private sector would also have to be involved "because we know that Germany and other countries potentially will benefit from the influx of new people and creative people willing to work and do something for their own but also for the livelihood in the country they live," said Detlev Ganten.
    "The health problem is no different from the problem in the general population. It's the same diseases, it's the same way doctors treat it, all we need is people on place who know the cultures of people coming in and of course psychological problems, understanding the problems is one important point and there of course we need help because we are not prepared for it. We should have had more foresight," Ganten added.
    428,000 people have crossed the Mediterranean into Greece from Turkey so far this year, the majority of whom have travelled on through Europe.
    Almost 3,000 have died, the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR estimates. Many of the arrivals are Syrians, Afghans and Iraqis fleeing war and persecution.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register