World Health Day, observed on 7 April every year, is an opportunity to emphasize the importance of access to quality healthcare as a fundamental right for all individuals. This theme has influenced the formation of the European Health Union, which began in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the pandemic, the EU ensured that all its citizens had equal access to safe and effective vaccines under the same conditions. The pandemic underscored the importance of European countries coordinating their efforts to protect public health. Building on these lessons learned, the European Commission has worked towards establishing a robust European Health Union by enacting new rules on handling cross-border health threats and establishing authorities such as the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority and strengthening existing ones like the European Medicines Agency and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Additionally, reforms in pharmaceutical legislation were implemented for timely access to affordable medicines while creating a European Health Data Space for harnessing digital health data. The Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan backed by €4 billion in EU funding was also launched to combat stigma surrounding mental health challenges for citizens.
The actions taken by the Health Union extend beyond Europe’s borders as part of its Global Health Strategy involving an investment of €4.4 billion until 2027 with an aim to improve global health outcomes. The belief is that good public health is essential for building strong economies and societies worldwide.
For more information on overcoming COVID-19 pandemic, building a Health Union, European Health Union, public health policy, Commissioner Kyriakides’ statement on World Health Day please visit provided links