02.10.2009International conference “Health and Roma community”
International conference “Health and Roma community” took place in Madrid on October 1 and 2. It was organized by Fundacion Secretariado Jitano and the Spanish Ministry of Health. Governmental representatives of Spain, Portugal, Check Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece, Roma activists and European Commission officials took part in it.
During the conference a special survey about the health status of Roma in the 7 mentioned countries was announced. It is carries out by Fundacion Secretariado Jitano, Roma organizations from every included country and prominent scholars. The survey is published in every national language and its presentation in every country will be organized soon.
In Bulgaria the survey is implemented by Health of Roma Foundation – Sliven. The Bulgarian survey team includes Prof. Ilona Tomova, d-r Stefan Panayotov, d-r Jeliazko Manolov, GanchoIliev and others. They took part in the conference together with representatives of Ministry of Health, Center “Amalipe” and other Roma NGOs. Bulgarian launch of the survey will be organized in Sofia and Sliven until the end of October.