Brussels, 10/05/2004 (Agence Europe) - The health ministers of the OECD countries are to meet in Paris from 12 to 14 May, under the chairmanship of their Mexican colleague Julio Frenk. They will look at potential preventative measures to improve public health. Amongst other things to be targeted are smoking, alcohol abuse, traffic accidents, lack of physical exercise and food imbalances. The ministers will also look at the problem of long waiting lists for some surgical operations, and unfairness in access to health services. They will look at ways of preventing pointless treatment, and of promoting best practice in healthcare.
Faced with a shortage of nursing staff and doctors in certain OECD countries, ministers will investigate which of the training and recruitment measures which have been taken in various countries have led to genuine increases in staff numbers.
The ministers will also discuss the role of private health insurance in paying for healthcare, and the necessary regulatory framework for guaranteeing protection accessible to all those who need it, whatever their income, age or state of health.