EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/624

(2004/C 78 E/0659)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3660/03

by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

(2 December 2003)

Subject: Tragic state of health of children in Chechnya

Mr Hasan Gadayev, head of the maternity and child health department of the pro-Russian Chechen administration, has stated that more than 80 % of the children in Chechnya have health problems. This information was made public as part of a health survey covering the entire territory of the Russian Federation during which 320 000 children underwent routine medical check-ups in Chechnya. According to Mr Gadayev, the problems are mostly of a neurological and psychological nature, although many children also suffer from anaemia and endocrinological and gastrointestinal problems. Furthermore, more than 40 % of children suffer from pathologies affecting sight and hearing, while 70 % of those examined have tuberculosis. In the long list of adverse factors affecting the health of youngsters, Mr Gadayev emphasised the interruption of their schooling, the existence of overcrowded classrooms and the lack of hot meals and exercise. He concluded by pointing out that the consequences of the war will unfortunately have a major impact on the health of Chechen children for many years. Although entirely familiar with this disastrous situation, neither the Commissioner for humanitarian aid nor the President of the Commission have ever felt it necessary to visit Chechnya in order to make an accurate assessment of needs and devise possible measures with a view to finding solutions to such a tragedy.

Does the President or a Member of the Commission plan to visit Chechnya before the end of the present Commission's term of office in order to gather all the information necessary for framing an extraordinary Union initiative capable of providing practical answers to the humanitarian tragedy taking place there? In particular, what specific measures does the Commission at long last plan to take in order to provide effective help for Chechen children who are facing a disastrous situation in terms of health? Lastly, does it plan to recommend that Member States adopt a joint measure aimed at organising an extraordinary humanitarian operation with the objective of accommodating thousands of Chechen children in need of special care in the health structures of the EU Member States?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(28 January 2004)

The Commission is aware of, and concerned by, the humanitarian situation in the north Caucasus. The impact of the ongoing conflict in Chechnya on ordinary citizens — and in particular children — is deeply disturbing.

The Commission — via the European Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) — is the largest donor of humanitarian aid in the north Caucasus, with EUR 110 million committed since 1999. Significant funding has already been allocated for efforts to improve the poor health infrastructure in Chechnya as well as to provide safe drinking water and improve sanitation conditions for local inhabitants. Specific health programmes for children are going on in four locations in Grozny. This will continue and will soon be expanded to six locations. It is certainly hoped that these efforts will over time contribute to improve the very poor state of health of the civilian population in Chechnya, but as long as the population continues to live in such poor conditions, the impact of these programmes on the general health situation will be limited.

The Commission notes that the Member of the Commission responsible for Development and Humanitarian Aid visited the north Caucasus in 2000. It regrets that — due to difficult security conditions in this area — more high-level visits have not been possible so far. It takes this opportunity to underline the fact that ECHO tries to undertake regular missions to Chechnya to assess in detail and at expert level the needs of the population there, in order to consider how best it can help to improve the humanitarian situation, in particular with regard to children. The extent of the programmes undertaken in Chechnya and the regularity of visits there, are however, highly dependent on security conditions in the region.