9-year old Syrian boy with Hepatitis A, Fears of wider outbreak at Idomeni refugee camp! (pics)

Author: newsroom  | Published: March 12, 2016

Europeans show indifference to tragic conditions of refugees

The Centre for Control and Prevention of Diseases (KEELPNO) released a press report Friday informing Greek authorities that a 9-year old Syrian refugee boy had been diagnosed with hepatitis A. The virtual complete lack of any sanitary controls in the muddy swamp of the refugee camp in northern Greece, where 14,000 people, including young children live under wretched conditions has exposed the total incompetence of the Greek government. After the case of hepatitis was registered doctors and NGOs are gravely concerned of the spreading of the disease. The National Health Centre was not informed of the case, while sources say the Greek military could be mobilised to bring in fresh water potable water. KEELPNO is trying to pin point where exactly in the camp the case was recorded in order to decide whether people in the vicinity of the boy need vaccinations. Conditions at the refugee camp are described as ‘hellish’, especially after the recent rainfalls and the drop of temperatures. The picture of the newly born entering life in a squalid, muddy camp has gone viral on social media in Greece, highlighting not only the ineptitude of Greek authorities to deal with the humanitarian crisis, but also the cold calculating inhumanity of countries closing their borders sand turning their heads on people suffering.    

A migrant boy walks under the rain on March 10, 2016, at the makeshift camp of the Greek-Macedonian border, near the Greek village of Idomeni, where thousands of refugees and migrants are stranded by the Balkan border blockade. The main migrant trail from Greece to northern Europe was blocked March 9 after western Balkan nations slammed shut their borders, hiking pressure for an EU-Turkey deal and exacerbating a dire situation on the Macedonian border. More than 14,000 mainly Syrian and Iraqi refugees are camping out by the northern Idomeni border crossing with Macedonia -- many of them for weeks -- at a muddy, unhygienic camp operated by beleaguered aid groups. / AFP / DIMITAR DILKOFF

People sit in a makeshift camp at the Greek-Macedonian border, on March 12, 2016, near the Greek village of Idomeni, where thousands of refugees and migrants are stranded by the Balkan border blockade. More than 14,000 mainly Syrian and Iraqi refugees including many children are camped out at the squalid camp where they have been stranded by Skopje's decision to close the frontier. Days of heavy rain have turned Greece's Idomeni border camp into a foul-smelling bog, exposing migrant children to raw sewage, noxious fumes and bitter cold, with aid workers describing conditions as "critical". / AFP / DANIEL MIHAILESCU

Children stand at the Greek-Macedonian border near the Greek village of Idomeni where thousands of refugees and migrants are trapped by the Balkan border blockade, on March 11, 2016. The German and Greek leaders blasted Balkan countries for shutting their borders to migrants ahead of an EU ministers meeting on March 10. Greek authorities said there were 41,973 asylum seekers in the country, including some 12,000 stuck at Idomeni on the closed Macedonian border. / AFP / SAKIS MITROLIDIS

Migrants strech hands to grab supplies donated by Greek people on March 11, 2016, in a makeshift camp at the Greek-Macedonian border, near the Greek village of Idomeni, where thousands of refugees and migrants are stranded by the Balkan border blockade. The main migrant trail from Greece to northern Europe was blocked March 9 after western Balkan nations slammed shut their borders, hiking pressure for an EU-Turkey deal and exacerbating a dire situation on the Macedonian border. More than 14,000 mainly Syrian and Iraqi refugees are camping out by the northern Idomeni border crossing with Macedonia -- many of them for weeks -- at a muddy, unhygienic camp operated by beleaguered aid groups. / AFP / DANIEL MIHAILESCU

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