Forum de haut niveau sur l’équité en santé en Slovénie

Opening by Ms Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe

Honourable Minister Marušič, Slovenian authorities, distinguished delegates, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted to be here today at this important event.

Allow me to start by bringing to you greetings and best wishes from my own organization.

What Minister Marušič has shared in his opening is very much in synergy with my hopes for the way in which European countries will approach the issue of population health. It is clear that Slovenia has embraced its importance for human rights and for human, social and economic development.

Today’s event is not important only for Slovenia. It is important for Europe. It is particularly important for us in the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the way in which we are supporting our 53 Member States. It is important because today’s event addresses key issues relevant for Slovenia and every other European country. Why? Because in your work you are addressing the key issues: how to create better conditions for population health, how to strongly position the promotion of health and the reduction of health inequities as a whole-of-government responsibility; how to position health as a crucial resource for the country’s overall development and for the 2 million Slovenian people.

We in WHO have a long history of cooperation with Slovenia. The topic we are discussing today has been one that has characterized our long-standing partnership. Allow me to give you just one, but most significant, example.

In the late 1990s, Slovenia was the first country to ask the WHO Regional Office for Europe to carry out an appraisal of the opportunity to invest for health and development. The request for this cooperative work came jointly from the Slovenian Parliament and the Ministry of Health. The WHO Regional Office for Europe produced a very interesting report in 1996, entitled “Investment for health in Slovenia”. That report provided the basis for our systematic cooperation in the area of health and development and I know that the Regional Office’s European Centre for Investment for Health and Development, based in Venice, Italy, has been working closely with you since then. Allow me to quote from that pioneer work:

“The economic and social development of European countries – and the standing of Europe as whole on in the World – will depend to a significant extent upon effective measures to promote and sustain the health of the peoples of the continent. A healthier population is both more contented and more productive, and the obverse is also true …”

This statement is as valid today as it was at the time of this WHO report on investment for health in Slovenia.

Ladies and gentlemen, health is a key and unique resource for today and tomorrow’s Europe. It is a resource that must be nurtured. It is a resource that is much needed and that will help Europe to be more united and stronger in dealing with our present economic difficulties.

Can we in Europe perform better in promoting health? Can we reduce health inequities by levelling up the health status of the weakest segments of our population and across the social gradients? Can we, with our efforts to promote population health, provide added value to the social, economic and human development of our countries, regions, and cities?

I firmly believe that we can! But I also believe that we can perform better in Europe.

Your work is important because you have decided to take a coherent approach across ministries in tackling social inequities and improving health.

Ladies and gentlemen, on the occasion of today’s event, I would like to extend to you all the same commitment I put forth to our 53 Member States at our last meeting of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe. It was the first Regional Committee meeting since I took up the post of Regional Director in February 2010, exactly one year ago today! As Regional Director, I will do my utmost to strengthen the WHO Regional Office for Europe to support national and subnational efforts to promote health and tackle health inequities. The example of Slovenia and your clear vision and commitment for the future give me a lot of hope and much encouragement.

Reducing health inequities is important for the WHO European Region as a whole and is central to my agenda! At the Regional Committee meeting Member States endorsed the key components of my vision for the way forward: a new health policy for Europe.

The new European health policy – Health 2020 – is currently being developed through a participatory process involving Member States and other partners, including the European Union and its institutions. The objective is to ensure an evidence-based and coherent policy framework capable of addressing the present challenges to population health and forecasting future ones. It is planned that the new policy will be endorsed by our 53 Member States in September 2012.

Minister Marušič, dear colleagues, I count on you support and commitment for an integrative common European health policy – based on evidence and broad consultation. We need to work together to rekindle the Health for All approach and adapt it to today’s realities.

I have in mind a European policy framework that provides a clear common vision and roadmap to pursue health and health equity for the 900 million citizens of Europe.

In such a policy, the need to strengthen the promotion of population health and reduce health inequities by addressing the social determinants of health, is central. This is one of my main priorities as WHO Regional Director for Europe and this is one key way in which I plan to strengthen the work of the Regional Office.

In order to promote health and reduce health inequities, we need a shift in approach. The issue of promoting health and sustainable development needs to be a whole-of-government priority. This shift of approach has implication for the way in which I prioritize the work of WHO in supporting development in countries.

I believe the role of WHO is to strengthen the role of ministries of health in repositioning health and its promotion as a priority for all ministries. This is what I mean when I speak of “health as a whole-of-government approach”. I know many of you, here in Slovenia, have experience in this area as witnessed by today’s event. I look to learn and incorporate these experiences as we develop our policies and work. I am particularly pleased that Slovenia is taking the initiative to establish closer cooperation with its neighbours, and that together you are committed to accelerating action to improve health within and across borders.

Such an approach is much needed to ensure we have, at national, international and local levels, a set of policies and interventions on a scale appropriate to the challenge of promoting health and reducing health inequities in countries.

Promoting health and sustainable development cannot be achieved unless we move to addressing the underlying causes that determine health and its unequal distribution in society. I know Professor Sir Michael Marmot will focus on this.

This new European health policy will be informed and underpinned by evidence: among other things, a European review of the social determinants of health and the health divide that I have commissioned. This European review is chaired by Professor Sir Michael Marmot, who will address you in a few minutes.

I strongly believe that we need a new health policy for Europe. Beyond the principles and values that will characterize the new health policy for Europe lie the real opportunity and challenge: to apply them in practice in our complex societies. Such societies will invariably have immediate priorities, such as economic competitiveness and fiscal soundness, social cohesion and human development.

I have no doubts that, in any specific country context, such as here in Slovenia, you will find ways of implementing your health policy within the overall country’s priorities. Indeed, with the activities you have been developing and the very topic of today’s meeting, I see Slovenia as one of the countries that are innovators in this area and committed to enhance people’s health, equitably and sustainably.

I have received a detailed briefing from my staff about the background and the planned follow-up of our meeting and the rationale of today’s event. Allow me to commend your leadership, the skills of your public health professions, the efforts to strengthen your health systems and the active involvement of Slovenian civil society

I would like to close my short intervention by sharing with you my appreciation of the fact that you have invited to this meeting representatives from the countries of the South-eastern European (SEE) Health Network. Events like the one we are contributing to today are instrumental to foster cooperation and strengthen commitment for health. In October this year, there will be the first ministerial conference on health in all policies of the Network. I want to thank Slovenia, and count on continuous support for the development of the network.
 
Dear Minister Marušič, ministers and representatives of neighbouring countries, ladies and gentlemen, I look forward to our work, exchange and follow-up of our special meeting here in Brdo, Slovenia!