Health for all

The conference aimed to exchange the views of European social democracy circles ahead of the upcoming elections in Poland and the EU. European social democracy has always been historically sensitive to the link between the right to health and human rights. This connection has rarely been as close as it is today. The complex political situation and growing systemic crises call for an in-depth analysis. The physical condition of the population is an issue affecting the security of the European project. Lessons from pandemics remain a major source of political controversy and political instability. 

Health is a political and economic issue. Social democracy needs to offer viable solutions for the area that has always constituted its core: public health. During the conference, we presented some of the findings of FEPS book ‘A European Health Union‘, as well as addressed the phenomena of privatisation of health services, tendencies towards a geographical centralisation of the services offered by hospitals and clinics, the mental health crisis and the systemic burden of the long COVID phenomenon.

Among our speakers:

• Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, WHO Special Envoy for the European Region, former EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, and author of the book ‘A European Health Union’
• Maria Libura, Head of the Department of Medical Didactics and Simulation at the Medical College of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, vice-president of the Polish Medical Communication Association
• Tomáš Petříček, Director of the Progressive Centre and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Czechia
• Natalia Kallio, Board member, European Youth Forum
• Mihály Kökény, Professor, Geneva Graduate Institute and author of the book
• Nicolas Moravek, Member of the Citizens’ Panels, Conference on the Future of Europe, Working Group on Heath

For more information regarding this event, please do not hesitate to contact Euléane Omez, Project Management Coordinator (euleane.omez@feps-europe.eu)