In a letter addressed to the Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the EU4Health Civil Society Alliance (CSA) joined their voice calling for keeping up health high in the policy agenda during the new Commission term that just started.
The letter, which involves an invitation to the President for a meeting with the alliance, expresses the concern of civil society groups over what seems to be a deprioritisation of health policy, as reflected by the recent cuts in the EU4Health budget and the nomination of the next Health Commissioner.
The CSA urges the Commission to not lose sight of the multiple and persistent challenges of our days, such as the impact of climate change on health, the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, the increasing gaps in access to healthcare, and anti-microbial resistance. Policymakers should not just draw the valuable lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, but also act on them.
Investing in improved health systems, a dynamic civil society based on sustainable EU funding, but also an executive chief fully-committed to drive an ambitious health are key requirements to ensure a healthy population in Europe for the years to come. We must not lose this opportunity.
You can access the full EU4Health CSA here.