“Supporting the population living in the areas affected by the Chernobyl disaster: social protection and humanitarian support of the liquidators and victims of the Chernobyl disaster”

Kiev, 28-29 April 2010. 

Seven million people currently live on the territories that were contaminated by radiation from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident.

Taking into account the cleanup workers, the total number of persons suffering from exposure to radiation from the Chernobyl disaster is ten million people.

It should be noted that twenty four years after the disaster the authorities of Ukraine, the Belarus Republic and the Russian Federation have not resolved the problem of the Chernobyl accident’s consequences; in particular, they still have not created safe living conditions for the inhabitants of contaminated areas. This specifically applies to the production of agricultural products that should pass radiation medical standards.

Consumption of products contaminated with radioactive elements Cs-137 and Sr-90 constitute the primary main danger to human health. Preeminently because of the mentioned radionuclides in most cases (70-80%) during many years arise the formation of internal exposure dose.

The conditions of constant radioactive exposure have led to a dramatic decline in the population's health. Moreover, the death-rate exceeds the birth-rate several times; the present demographic situation in the contaminated areas is catastrophic. The excessive mortality of the population is mostly connected with cardiovascular pathologies and malignant tumors which are steadily increasing every year.

The decline in the birth rate is associated with abnormalities in the functioning of male and female reproductive systems and with intrauterine growth pathologies. The most serious health problems are occurring among the liquidators (clean-up workers) of the Chernobyl Power Plant explosion.

The present difficult economic situation in the post-soviet countries, particularly in Ukraine and the Belarus Republic, prohibit the full implementation of a national antiradiation response which has certainly worsened the demographic situation and health status of the population.

The population that presently continue to live on territories contaminated with radioactive elements are in a particularly difficult position, not only because of deficiencies in material and social assistance, but also because of the  absence of any prospects for the development of the region since it is forbidden to construct and organize industrial facilities on the contaminated territory which could provide working places, material and financial support.  This situation implies moral and psychological condition of the people who are fated to live under constant exposure to radiation without proper medical, financial and social support.

The Conference recognizes that the current situation demands immediate action at the national level in order to address the primary problem – the health protection of the population which continues to live on territories contaminated with radioactive elements.

Unilateral actions (in the medical or social and economic area) had been undertaken in this region over the past twenty four years but have not improved the health level. This is first of all related to the absence of a comprehensive life support program for regions contaminated with radioactive elements.

Such a program can be presently performed only with the help of the international community, based on principles of democratic collaboration. Reliable scientific information is required to draw the attention of the international community and allow the implementation of actions necessary to overcome the Chernobyl catastrophe humanitarian consequences and achieve positive results–an improvement in the health status of the population which continues to live in areas contaminated with radionuclides.

The Conference notes the urgent need to consolidate the efforts of international, national and non-governmental organizations to ensure the health and quality of life of people affected by the Chernobyl disaster. 

The Conference supports the creation of “Ecology and Health” as an international coordinating analytical center, the main goal of which is the dissemination of objective information to the international society about the on-going situation in the areas affected by radiation after the Chernobyl catastrophe and also the consolidation of the efforts of the representatives of different spheres of activity (doctors, ecologists, economists, industrialist, politicians, lawyers, etc.) with the goal of developing a package of measures aimed at the maintenance of a safe life for the people who continue to live in the contaminated areas. As a result, the project “The model of integrated life support for the population which continue to live in the areas contaminated with radiation” is capable of uniting and coordinating the experience of the international community in dealing with other radiation polluted areas in the development of safe living arrangements and the functioning of the population under a condition of constant radioactive effect in one or several regions in Ukraine. The Conference shall make a separate request, in connection with its special importance, to the European Union to fund the project to ensure full medical coverage of the population in the Ivankov district, the most affected by the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

On the 25th anniversary of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the Conference recommends the development and implementation of an international program to minimize health and social consequences of the Chernobyl disaster, under the auspices of the European Parliament with the participation of governmental and non-governmental organizations in Ukraine and Belarus. The results of the international project "Model of integrated life support in the zone of radioactive contamination" should be used as the basis of this international program, which should significantly improve the health and quality of life for people affected by the Chernobyl disaster.