November 10, 2022

Pricey Yveta, Pricey Reinhardt, Your Excellency, Colleagues and Mates,

It is protected to say that quite a bit has occurred since we final met in individual in Marseille in 2019. To begin with, I want to pay tribute to the various previous buddies and the various younger professionals gathered right here. All public well being employees and frontline well being employees who’ve personally sacrificed a lot over the previous two and a half years.

The COVID-19 pandemic has marked a watershed in our continent’s public well being historical past. Governments and public well being officers have needed to make tough selections and daring actions to save lots of lives and shield the susceptible.

We acted shortly and acted firmly. And due to your braveness and knowledge (you too Professor Lauterbach) and your unwavering willpower to comply with science, we now have saved lives.

However tragically, greater than 6.5 million folks have died worldwide, 2.1 million of them in our area alone. The ripple results of the pandemic will final for many years. Give it some thought – we are actually going through an unprecedented psychological well being disaster affecting no less than 1 in her 6 in Europe and costing EU governments no less than €600 billion yearly doing.

In Greece final week, we heard younger folks share their real-life experiences with psychological well being points exacerbated by the pandemic and its aftermath. Responding to this public well being problem and others (particularly his long-running COVID) would require concerted motion from the very best ranges of politics to the grassroots of society.

Nevertheless, strengthening well being techniques in response to a pandemic isn’t the one problem we should tackle.

The devastating battle, now in its ninth month, continues to trigger immense struggling throughout Ukraine and Europe. Up to now, WHO has confirmed greater than 660 assaults in opposition to medical services and medical employees. This battle will make the approaching winter one of the crucial tough in recent times for all of us.

Within the subsequent few days, for the fourth time this 12 months, I’ll go to the entrance traces in Ukraine to face with folks and well being employees going through a tough winter, advocate for the bodily and psychological well being wants of the folks, We plan to supply assist. in newly liberated territories.

Throughout the area, the power and value of dwelling disaster means 1000’s of households have to decide on between paying for power or different requirements. Between staying heat and receiving well being care.

And at this time, this power disaster, exacerbated by the worldwide local weather disaster affecting public well being and public well being companies, requires motion now.

As we collect right here in Berlin to debate the way forward for our healthcare system, world leaders are additionally discussing the way to save the planet for our youngsters and grandchildren.

All these challenges are intently associated.

Pricey Colleagues, Women and Gents,

I do know I threat sounding too alarmist, however we now have to simply accept the fact that we reside in fixed disaster mode.

And if we actually wish to recuperate and enhance folks’s well being and well-being, we have to transfer from enterprise as common to a brand new paradigm in public well being: the “dual-track strategy.”

In a world of accelerating well being crises, in occasions of financial and monetary turmoil, we should embrace and work inside this new paradigm.

On the one hand, which means that we should make investments closely in getting ready for rising and infrequently overlapping emergencies. On this respect, our efforts to construct a pan-European community for illness management are an essential step ahead.

Within the meantime, we should redouble our efforts to forestall illness, promote well being and strengthen important each day well being companies.

WHO is firmly centered on this dual-track strategy and has initiated concrete actions.

Simply yesterday, right here in Berlin, we convened a gathering of the NCD Advisory Committee on Innovation in Non-Communicable Ailments to carry collectively the perfect developments to deal with and cut back the burden of NCDs.

Subsequent 12 months we’ll host the World Main Well being Care Convention in Kazakhstan. This marks his forty fifth anniversary of the Alma-Ata Declaration. The Alma-Ata Declaration is a agency dedication of governments to make sure that everybody, in all places can benefit from the highest attainable commonplace of well being.

We’re happy that the Berlin Assertion, which is strongly endorsed by WHO/Europe, contains clear actions to advance this dual-track strategy.

Firstly, we acknowledge that well being techniques should be resilient and sturdy to reply to emergencies and preserve important companies.

Second, we’re dedicated to reaching past the well being sector and dealing with financial, social and political companions to strengthen well being techniques and enhance the well being of individuals.

The Pan-European Fee on Well being and Sustainable Growth reached an analogous conclusion. [European Public Health Association] To EUPHA President, pricey good friend and colleague Professor Martin McKee, for main the scientific proof base that knowledgeable the Fee’s last report.

This work is in preparation for the Excessive Stage Discussion board on Well being within the Wellbeing Financial system, which can happen on March 1-2 subsequent 12 months.

Third, the Berlin Assertion acknowledges the essential function science and innovation play in public well being and the necessity to decide to extra and higher investments in analysis and growth.

And it is this final level particularly the place the general public well being workforce comes into play.

Earlier than the pandemic, public well being professionals struggled to realize visibility into their work. However the present give attention to public well being is forcing well being techniques and governments to think about the way to entice, retain, and develop the general public well being workforce.

At a second like at this time, seeing you all gathered right here, dedicated and decided to make a distinction, fills me with hope and optimism that the way forward for public well being in Europe is vibrant.

However we additionally want to acknowledge that the time has come to hone our management expertise and put money into the general public well being leaders of the longer term. With this aim in thoughts, WHO/Europe and the Istituto Superiore di Sanita provide the Public Well being Management Program in Italy for public well being professionals such as you.

Pricey Colleagues and Mates,

The European Work Plan to information WHO/Europe’s work to 2025 has two overarching aims.

The explanation I stand earlier than you at this time is to assist and empower well being management.

And to depart nobody behind – again to the place I began, COVID-19 has affected everybody, however particularly the weakest and most susceptible amongst us. gave. As public well being professionals, we now have an ethical obligation to work to scale back well being disparities and promote equitable entry to well being for all.

Lastly, let me quote Rudolf Virchow, who labored right here a long time in the past and firmly believed:

“Die ärzte sind die natürlichen Anwälte der Armen und die sociale Frage fällt zu einem erheblichen Theil in ihre Jurisdiction.”

“Docs are the poor’s pure legal professionals, and social issues must be solved primarily by docs.”

Colleagues, this European Public Well being Convention embodies the imaginative and prescient of bringing well being to all via the facility of partnerships. The collaborations we signify have nice strengths.

The challenges we face are daunting, however we’ll meet them collectively and overcome them via shut cooperation.

Thanks on your dedication and willpower.