Brussels, 26/11/2014 (Agence Europe) - EuroHealthNet represents the interests of organisations working in the public health and prevention sectors and is calling on European ministers responsible for this portfolio to encourage investment to improve the health of European citizens.
Health ministers meet up on Monday 1 December for a work session at the Council of Ministers in Brussels during which they will examine the role played by healthcare systems in the priorities on growth and job creation. EuroHealthNet supports the Italian presidency position, which described investment in health as, “the missing dimension from the EUROPE 2020 Strategy”. It calls on ministers to consider five key questions in their debate on Monday: 1) can investment contribute to the EUROPE 2020 Strategy objectives and should the relationship between health and economic results predominate? 2) Is more European action required to put an end to inequalities in member states and is a new approach necessary for improving health systems? 3) Is the current budgetary system architecture an obstacle to the transition to more efficient health systems? 4) Should more attention be paid to cost efficiency? 5) Should performance assessment be related to specific national recommendations in the European Semester and should health and social bodies work more closely at a European level? (IL)