Monday, May 13th - Health is a political choice: Starting the discussion

Health and politics are distinct concepts, yet strongly interwoven. In 2024, we will see many elections around the globe and within Europe, including over a dozen national and, of course, the European Parliament elections. Their outcomes could majorly impact health and how it is placed on the political agenda in the future.

Creating a healthy society is a group effort that cannot happen without the concentrated efforts of community and national key players. There is no health (policy) without the support of political action. Likewise, health-related problems, whether global pandemics or local health inequities are major driving factors for new policies. The timing has never been more pressing to put health on the priority list of all (future) stakeholders.

How can we ensure health will be placed on all political agendas? How can we engage the community? Do we listen enough to health workers? Should we do more to assess the impact of crisis and peace on health? 

Daily partners

Our daily partners for "Health is a political choice” are the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the European Commission's DG SANTE and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. The daily partners and the supporting organisations develop and organise the kick-off event of each specific day.

Monday will feature three different but equally important events to start the 2024 EUPHW.

Kick-off event for the Monday (and the whole 2024 European Public Health Week)

Webinar - Health is a political choice: starting the discussion

Monday, May 13th, 10:00-11:30 CEST

The public health community often views politics as a threatening force; however, a shift in perspective reveals a realm brimming with opportunities for voice, representation, agency, and veto. If we accept that health is indeed a political choice, it becomes imperative to deeply understand the nature of political choices—their motives, levers, opportunities, and cycles. Recognizing and embracing this potential is crucial for leveraging political systems effectively. The public health sector needs to organise and establish a robust infrastructure for policy influence, which involves reconciling facts with values and utilising societal resources for power. By balancing power among diverse groups and fostering transdisciplinary collaboration, the public health community can more effectively shape policies that reflect and address the complex realities of health

The webinar is organised by EUPHA in collaboration with EUPHA's Public Health Policy and Politics Section. Join us as we kick-off the 2024 European Public Health Week. 

Register here for the webinar.  

You can also join the webinar directly via this link.

Radical community management training

Monday, May 13th, 12-15:00 CEST
Organised by EUPHA and partners.
This is an invite-only event for EUPHA partners in Brussels.

High-Level Panel: Is public health relevant in the new world?

Monday, May 13th, 15:00-16:30 CEST

A hybrid event organised by EUPHA and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, and supported by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the European Commission's DG SANTE and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. 

If you missed the event, you can watch the recording here. 

We have convened an exclusive, high-level panel to explore the critical role of public health in addressing European and global health challenges. The panel will focus on strengthening public health leadership across sectors - Health in and for All Policies, making a compelling and political case for investing in health and its determinants, acting on the political economy of health or harnessing innovations in digital and AI technologies.

Panellists

• Agnès BUZYN (Professor of haematology and former French Minister of Solidarities and Health)
• Sara CERDAS (Member of the European Parliament, Portugal)
• Francesca COLOMBO (Head, Health Division, OECD)
• Sandra GALLINA (Director-General, DG for Health and Food Safety, European Commission)
• Hans KLUGE (WHO Regional Director for Europe)

Moderators

• Iveta Nagyová (EUPHA, President) 
• Josep Figueras (European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, Director)

Sub-themes

These are sub-themes that give you ideas and stimulate your imagination. They do not limit the scope of the day's themes. If you are having doubts about which day you should organise your event, email us at euphacommunications@eupha.org: our team will be happy to help you.

• Integrating health into the political agenda
• Health and crises
• Health workforce as a key resource and a key challenge
• Well-being economy and well-being politics
• Community participation in health politics
• Health-in-All Policies and Health-for-All Policies
• Peace as the most important determinant of health

On route to Lisbon: Innovation focus

• Innovative advocacy for public health
• Health data as a political choice
• Politics, AI and health

Do you want to get involved with this theme and the 2024 EUPHW?

Is this daily theme something that interests you? Would you like to organise an event on this day?
Whether you are an institution, a health professional or an ordinary citizen interested in one of these themes, you may organise your own event(s). To submit an event, please follow this link.

If you cannot organise your event, spreading the word is also hugely important. Look at the media toolkit to share the message of the European Public Health Week 2024. 

Of course, you can also join any of the 2024 EUPHW events. The events calendar is accessible through this link.

For more details, please see our "Get involved" page.

EUPHW Newsletter

Do you want to have the newest updates about the European Public Health Week? Subscribe to our newsletter by sending us an e-mail: EUPHAcommunications@eupha.org.