Chernobyl closes but humanitarian needs persist says Red Cross
15 december 2000

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies welcomed the closure of the Chernobyl nuclear plant today. However, it warned that 14 years after the accident, thousands of people are still living in severely contaminated areas. With an incidence of 100 cases of cancer per 100,000 people, the incidence is 16 times higher than in countries not affected by the disaster.

"Shutting down Chernobyl does not in itself mean there will be a dramatic improvement in health conditions for the affected population," said Didier Cherpitel, the secretary general of the International Federation. "The International Federation will continue to work in the contaminated areas for a long time," he added.

The International Federation is assisting Chernobyl victims through its Chernobyl Humanitarian Assistance and Rehabilitation Programme (CHARP) since 1990, providing health screening, psychological support, medicines and multivitamins to some 2.5 million people in the Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian Federation.

Since 1992, six Red Cross Mobile Diagnostic Laboratories have been operational in the most contaminated areas, screening background radiation and providing medical examinations to more than 400,000 adults and children. Every year, the laboratories screen 90,000 people for cancer per year, more specifically focussing on children, and people who were children at the time of the accident. The laboratories provide early diagnoses on thyroid cancer and refer patients to specialised medical institutions where they receive further treatment. In addition, some 250 Red Cross volunteers have been trained to provide psychological support to 15,000 people over the last year. As part of its annual appeal 2001, the International Federation is seeking nearly 1.5 million Swiss francs to continue supporting Chernobyl victims with medical screening and psychological support for 90,000 people through its six mobile laboratories.

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The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 181 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.