The ongoing, unchecked mass migration into Europe is not just a political or social challenge — it is a direct and growing threat to public health. As a physician and a senior officer within the Hellenic intelligence service, I have witnessed firsthand the profound strain that uncontrolled migration places on our healthcare systems and public health infrastructure. Let me be clear: the views expressed here are my own and do not reflect the official position of the Hellenic Republic. But speaking as a doctor and a professional tasked with protecting the health and security of our nation, I am compelled to sound the alarm.
Risks of Uncontrolled Migration
Europe’s open-border policy has created a dangerous vulnerability. Migrants often arrive without proper documentation, and more critically, without undergoing any meaningful health screening. This creates an ideal pathway for the introduction and spread of infectious diseases, some of which have long been controlled or eradicated within Europe. We are seeing a resurgence of tuberculosis (including multidrug-resistant strains), hepatitis, measles, and even tropical diseases like malaria and dengue fever — conditions that were once considered confined to specific regions outside Europe.
The problem is not simply the presence of these diseases, but the lack of systematic health checks and quarantine measures at the point of entry. Migrants are often processed rapidly and then dispersed across the continent without proper medical oversight. This is not only dangerous for the host population; it also puts the migrants themselves at risk, as they often lack access to adequate healthcare and vaccination coverage. The potential for outbreaks in overcrowded reception centers or within vulnerable urban communities is not hypothetical — it is already happening.
Political Paralysis and Health Consequences
What is most alarming is the political inertia surrounding this crisis. European governments, driven by ideological commitments to open borders and humanitarian rhetoric, have failed to recognize the severity of the public health risks posed by uncontrolled migration. This is not about race, ethnicity, or xenophobia — it is about public health and national security. When you allow large numbers of people to cross borders without health checks, you are inviting epidemiological disaster. As a citizen I find the current approach to border security and health screening indefensible. Nations have a right — indeed, a duty — to control who enters their territory and to ensure that those entering do not pose a threat to public health. The fact that this principle has become politically controversial is a testament to how detached modern European policymaking has become from reality.
The Solution: Secure Borders and Offshore Reception Centers
The solution is not complex, but it requires political courage. Europe needs to establish secure external borders and implement offshore reception centers in North Africa or other strategic locations. These centers would allow for rigorous health screenings, biometric identification, and thorough documentation before any individual is allowed to enter Europe. This is not just about national security — it is about public health security.
Medical screening should be mandatory and comprehensive, including tests for tuberculosisl, HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases. Those found to have serious communicable diseases should receive medical care in controlled facilities before any consideration of asylum or resettlement. Moreover, migrants who refuse to provide identification or submit to health screenings should not be allowed to enter Europe. It is as simple as that.
No Apologies for Defending Public Health
Critics wcreening should be mandatory and comprehensive, including tests for tuberculosis, HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases. Those found to have serious communicable diseases should receive medical care in controlled facilities before any consideration of asylum or resettlement. Moreover, migrants who refuse to provide identification or submit to health screenings should not be allowed to enter Europe. It is as simple as that.
I am not a racist, nor am I a xenophobe. I am an authoritarian in the classical sense — someone who believes in order, discipline, and the responsibility of the state to protect its citizens. Public health is not a political game; it is a matter of life and death. Until European leaders have the courage to implement serious, medically sound border control policies, the health and security of our continent will remain at risk.
Dr. Dr. Ari Barsfeld,
Athens, Hellenic Republic