‘Health worsens, suicides rise in Europe’

Harsh austerity measures imposed by European governments have led to a surge in suicide rates and the outbreak of diseases not normally seen in Europe, according to a medical report.

In the report published by the Lancet, authors said that the deep budget cuts and the growing unemployment rate have resulted in worsened health among European citizens, with more people being diagnosed with depression.

“Austerity measures haven’t solved the economic problems and they have also created big health problems,” said Martin McKee, a professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

McKee said that the worsening health conditions were not just due to unemployment but also to the lack of a social welfare system.

“People need to have hope that the government will help them through this difficult time,” he added.

The report showed that the suicide rate in Greece rose by 40 percent in 2011 compared to the previous year.

In addition, the country has experienced an exponential rise in the number of HIV cases last year among drug users after the needle exchange programs were dropped.

Greece has also seen outbreaks of malaria, the West Nile virus and dengue fever in recent years.

“These are not diseases we would normally expect to see in Europe,” said Willem de Jonge, the general director of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Greece.

In 2011, the MSF helped the country fight a malaria outbreak, which broke out after the government cut spraying programs to kill mosquitoes.

Meanwhile, Hans Kluge of the World Health Organization’s European office has warned the countries against radical health reforms during the economic crisis.

Kluge said “in every health system, there is fat to cut,” and urged the European countries to begin with clear-cut measures, including buying more generic drugs or eliminating unnecessary hospital beds.

Europe has been struggling with a financial crisis, which has resulted in a rising unemployment rate during the past years.

The European youth has been the hardest hit, with almost one in every four looking for employment.