- 48 - Alleged violation of Article E taken in conjunction with Article 11§3 by reason of a lack of prevention of diseases and accidents A – Submissions of the parties 1. The complainant organisation 154. Médecins du Monde stresses that the environmental risks to which the migrant Roma are exposed are without question all linked to their living conditions in the camps. Infectious diseases are favoured by hygiene conditions that may be described as degrading, since it is quite common to see harmful and polluting piles of waste in camps while access to drinking water is relatively non-existent. Thus, cases of infectious respiratory, cutaneous and gastrointestinal diseases and even scabies are frequently identified in consultations conducted by associations. In a similar vein, the general state of dampness, poor ventilation and harmful effects of heating methods improvised by the occupants of shantytowns, resulting from the authorities' failure to install electricity that conforms to the existing standards, all equally compromise the health of those concerned (see Collectif National Droits de l’Homme Romeurope, Rapport sur la situation des Roms migrants en France, 2009-2010, September 2010, p.140). 155. Médecins du Monde also stresses that the vaccination coverage among the roma population is low and, depending on the type of vaccine, only concerns 12 to 20 per cent of the patients, and 18 to 30 per cent of children under 7 years old (see the 2009 report of the Médecins du Monde monitoring centre on access to care, pp. 150 to 154). 156. It mentions also numerous domestic accidents, such as burns, gas poisoning and fires, linked to the dangerous living conditions of the Roma (see Collectif National Droits de l’Homme Romeurope, Rapport sur la situation des Roms migrants en France, 20092010, September 2010, p.140). 2. The Government 157. The Government refers to the emergency care fund, which enables the tackling of the most serious infectious diseases. According to the circular DHOS/DSS/DGAS No. 2005-141 of 16 March 2005 of the ministry of Labour, Employment and Health, treatments designed to prevent the spreading of illnesses to a person’s entourage or to the community (communicable infectious diseases such as tuberculosis or AIDS) are in fact considered as emergency care. B – Assessment of the Committee 158. The Committee refers to the poor living conditions of the migrant Roma, as already stressed above (see §59), demonstrating that Roma communities do not live in healthy environments. 159. The Committee recalls that states parties have to take appropriate measures to prevent, as far as possible, epidemic, endemic and other diseases as well as accidents.

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