• 170 likes • 332 Views
Brussels, 21 February 2013. Innovating Public Health Policy in times of the financial & economic crisis in the WHO European Region Hans Kluge Director, Health Systems and Public Health. WHO Health Policy Framework Health 2020.
E N D
Brussels, 21 February 2013 Innovating Public Health Policy in times of the financial & economic crisis in the WHO European Region Hans Kluge Director, Health Systems and Public Health
WHO Health Policy Framework Health 2020 • Investing in health through a life-course approach and empowering people • Tackling Europe´s major health challenges of NCDs and communicable diseases • Strengthening people centered health systems • Creating resilient communities and supportive environments Universal health coverage is the basis for action in these four priority areas
Tallinn Charter:Strengthening health systems “ … noone should become poor due to ill health … ”
What is Universal Health Coverage? All people have access to needed health services (incl. prevention, promotion, treatment & rehabilitation) of sufficient quality The use of services does not expose any user (or his/her family members) to undue financial hardship
Protecting public spending for health during the crisis: some options • Those who accumulated savings have room to maneuver • Those who balanced the budget and reduced government debts during the years of economic growth can opt for deficit financing • Those who failed to do the above are in a more vulnerable position when the crisis hits, but can still avoid adverse effects on health and equity by giving higher priority to health • It is a matter of choice in public policy and can have a direct effect on UHC
Health systems are important in mitigating the effects of the crisis
Analytical work to update and synthesize the evidence (for example on out-of-pocket spending) 19 mn people face catastrophic and 7 mn people face impoverishing expenditures Influenced by a number of factors including health financing policy Source: WHO estimates for 2010, countries with population > 600,000
Close engagement with Member States Health System Responses to the Financial Crisis in Ireland: Options and Responses in a European Context 2012, Dublin, Ireland “Health and Social Values in times of financial crisis” at the FT-hosted event “Shaping the Future of Healthcare in Greece” 2012, Athens, Greece
People die from preventable and treatable diseases (mostly cardiovascular in productive ages)
Policy dialogue and knowledge brokering - closer cooperation between health and finance Ministries OECD /WHO Joint Meeting on Financial Sustainability of Health Systems 2012, Tallinn, Estonia