Statement by Prof Mario Monti, Chair of the Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development, to the 70th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe
14 September 2020
Your Royal Highness, President Tsoy, Director-General Tedros, Regional Director Kluge, ministers of health, ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure for me to be with you today.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a monumental stress test for health and social care systems across our countries. It has thrown light on the huge inequalities of our modern world. On the other hand, this stress test provides us today with an unprecedented opportunity to rethink health and social care systems, in a long-term perspective, and in the wider frame of economic and social policies, which is itself to be reconsidered in the light of pandemics.
A few weeks ago, Hans Kluge approached me with an ambitious idea. He wanted to convene a group of scientific, economic and political leaders, not currently in office, who could offer forward-oriented and actionable policy recommendations for consideration by government leaders across the European Region.
Your Regional Director’s vision gained the strong support of Dr Tedros. They persuaded me, and I was honoured, to accept the chairmanship of this group.
So, the Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development was born. The timeliness of Hans’ idea was immediately tested. None of the personalities that he and I called, among them three former heads of states and two former prime ministers, declined the invitation to serve. This independent non-remunerated Commission will take a magnifying glass to current economic and social policies, review evidence on their performances, and make recommendations on how possibly to prevent future crises, and how best to respond to them. A Scientific Advisory Committee coordinated by Professor Elios Mossialos will support our work.
The Commission held its first meeting on 26 August. We have committed to deliver a set of policy recommendations in one year from now.
In order to promote novel political thinking on the priority for health and sustainable development on government’s agendas and build consensus at the highest political level, we need to establish partnerships with Member States. I trust we can count on your valuable engagement and expertise as we are about to sail these uncharted waters.
Thank you very much.
