Helsinki. Seminar on “Social Determinants and Health: The role of national action plans to reduce health inequities”

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland in co-operation with the WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development, Venice organized a multi-country seminar that drew on the final report of the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health. The seminar offered the possibility for exchange of country experiences focusing on how countries within the WHO European Region are working to reduce health inequities through a national plan of action.

The aim of the seminar was to emphasize the urgency to tackle health inequities and their social determinants, as well as explore key lessons and issues in country action to get socially determined health inequities on the policy agenda, development of action plans, implementation of plans and sustaining the effort. More specifically, the seminar focused on

• identifying progress in making social determinants of health and health inequities a priority in national policy;
• reporting important lessons that had been learnt;
• determining national policy issues and areas in which more work is needed.