15/03/2007: The Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood met yesterday in the European Parliament in Strasbourg to discuss 'Quality Environment and Health for Children: Essential Components of the future EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child.' The meeting, which aimed at highlighting the impact of environmental change on children's health as well as the medical problems that children face, gathered together MEPs, representatives of the European Commission, the World Health Organisation and NGOs.
Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou indicated that the Commission's Communication on a Strategy on the Rights of the Child points out that over 10 million children under the age of five die each year of illnesses that could have been easily treated or prevented. A third of the world's children suffer from malnutrition, live in desperate circumstances (no access to drinkable water, bad hygiene, environmental pollution) and do not have access to healthcare prevention and treatment. However, Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises the right of children to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health and have facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health.
Referring to the fact that over 50% of medicines used in the EU for treating children have not been tested or authorised specifically for children, Peter Liese MEP underlined that the new Regulation on paediatric medicine requires Member States to verify that the medicines put on the market take into account the specificity of a child's organism. He insisted on the dangers arising from chemical substances which can affect children more than adults. Finally, Liese noted the crucial role of the family environment for the health and well-being of children.
The representative of DG SANCO, Charles Price, explained that the Commission was placing great importance on the protection of children as consumers and indicated that the new EU Strategy on Public Health, which should be adopted in the summer of 2007, will pay particular attention to the fight against tobacco use, the protection against the dangers of alcohol and to a responsible sexuality. Mr Price added that over 31% of young Europeans smoke and that tobacco use has become one of the greatest medical problems of our time. The new Health Strategy will thus launch an initiative for youth without tobacco as well as a strategy for the prevention of alcoholism. In addition, the New Strategy will contain provisions for medical problems arising from over-consumption (obesity) as well as provisions for mental health, young people being increasingly more at risk.
Lucianne Licari, on behalf of the World Health Organisation, mentioned that a joint report of UNICEF and the WHO revealed that 33% of the illnesses that affect children under the age of five are caused by environmental change (respiratory diseases, allergies, diabetes, cancer etc). She added that beyond the medical dangers linked to a sedentary life and accidents, the WHO has identified internal and external pollution, the absence of drinkable water and hygiene and lead contamination as major health risks. Mrs Licari finally underlined that the collaboration between all stakeholders at all levels, the implementation of specific actions and better synergies between environmental and health policies could substantially contribute to the improvement of the quality of children's health.
Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou indicated that the Commission's Communication on a Strategy on the Rights of the Child points out that over 10 million children under the age of five die each year of illnesses that could have been easily treated or prevented. A third of the world's children suffer from malnutrition, live in desperate circumstances (no access to drinkable water, bad hygiene, environmental pollution) and do not have access to healthcare prevention and treatment. However, Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises the right of children to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health and have facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health.
Referring to the fact that over 50% of medicines used in the EU for treating children have not been tested or authorised specifically for children, Peter Liese MEP underlined that the new Regulation on paediatric medicine requires Member States to verify that the medicines put on the market take into account the specificity of a child's organism. He insisted on the dangers arising from chemical substances which can affect children more than adults. Finally, Liese noted the crucial role of the family environment for the health and well-being of children.
The representative of DG SANCO, Charles Price, explained that the Commission was placing great importance on the protection of children as consumers and indicated that the new EU Strategy on Public Health, which should be adopted in the summer of 2007, will pay particular attention to the fight against tobacco use, the protection against the dangers of alcohol and to a responsible sexuality. Mr Price added that over 31% of young Europeans smoke and that tobacco use has become one of the greatest medical problems of our time. The new Health Strategy will thus launch an initiative for youth without tobacco as well as a strategy for the prevention of alcoholism. In addition, the New Strategy will contain provisions for medical problems arising from over-consumption (obesity) as well as provisions for mental health, young people being increasingly more at risk.
Lucianne Licari, on behalf of the World Health Organisation, mentioned that a joint report of UNICEF and the WHO revealed that 33% of the illnesses that affect children under the age of five are caused by environmental change (respiratory diseases, allergies, diabetes, cancer etc). She added that beyond the medical dangers linked to a sedentary life and accidents, the WHO has identified internal and external pollution, the absence of drinkable water and hygiene and lead contamination as major health risks. Mrs Licari finally underlined that the collaboration between all stakeholders at all levels, the implementation of specific actions and better synergies between environmental and health policies could substantially contribute to the improvement of the quality of children's health.
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