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)

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

During this webinar organised by EUPHA in collaboration with EUPHA's Public Health Policy and Politics Section, the importance of our weekly theme will be highlighted. It will set the scene for upcoming events throughout the week and launch a call to action. 

Details will follow soon!

Radical community management training

Monday, May 13th, 12-15:00 CEST
Organised by EUPHA and partners.
Details will follow soon!

High-Level Panel: Lessons learned and future challenges

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

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

Registration link for online attendance will be made available soon. 

On the first day of European Public Health Week, this high-level panel discussion will explore the intersection of health and politics. Our panellists will reflect on lessons learned and future challenges in European (and global) public health, with a special focus on the political determinants of health and innovation.

Panellists

• Hans Kluge (WHO/EURO, Regional Director)
• Agnès Buzyn (Former Minister of Health, France)
• Sara Cerdas (MEP, Portugal)
• Sandra Gallina (DG SANTE, Acting Deputy Director-General)
• Francesca Colombo (OECD, Head of Health Division)

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

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