by Martin Seychell, Deputy Director General of the European Commission Directorate for Health and Food Safety

The continuing arrival of refugees in Europe is an unprecedented challenge for many Member States and calls for solidarity across the European Union. 

EU President Juncker has identified the refugee crisis as the immediate priority of action in the European Union. Healthcare must continue to be part of the global response and the health needs of the refugees, especially the most vulnerable amongst them, must be met.

 The Commission has mobilised resources and stands ready to support the reception and healthcare systems of Member States under particular pressure to provide services, including healthcare, to migrants.

Across the Commission, there is close cooperation between the concerned Commissioners, EU Agencies, key NGOs and international organisations. Through the EU Health Security Committee, DG Health and Food Safety has been working with Member States that are transit or destination countries and therefore under particular migratory pressure.

For example, we have prepared a checklist for assessing migrants' health at the 'Hotspots' and reception areas in order to help reconstruct personal health records and provide healthcare to those in need.

 It is of utmost importance to clarify that measures like these are being taken to protect the health of the refugees, not out of unfounded fears that they might spread infectious diseases, misuse the healthcare systems or place a burden on the health systems. Their health is at risk, not the health of EU citizens.

DG Health and Food Safety will reinforce the support to migrant health-related actions by co-funding projects under the Health Programme. Progress made so far is described in the recent State of Play of the European Agenda on Migration, just published by the Commission.

As President Jean-Claude Juncker said: “Noble words need to be followed by concrete actions back home“.

Not just now, but also in the months to come. To meet the public health needs ahead, we have to look beyond the short-term response and into the future. That future can be a brighter one for millions of people if we continue to rise to this challenge with conviction and compassion.