Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development calls for focus on the post-pandemic period
Maailman terveysjärjestön (WHO) alainen riippumaton yleiseurooppalainen terveyden ja kestävän kehityksen komissio vetoaa Euroopan hallituksiin, talous- ja sosiaalialan sidosryhmiin sekä kansainvälisiin järjestöihin covid-19-pandemiasta toipumisen nopeuttamiseksi.
The Commission draws attention to the effects of the pandemic that increase inequality. It calls on us to quickly rethink our current policy priorities and to make the necessary changes to stop the negative developments. The aim is to make societies better prepared for future health threats. The Commission recommends that rapid changes be made to current policy priorities so that societies would be better prepared to combat future health threats at the global level.
“We have a limited time window to bring about much-needed change following the pandemic. Based on past experiences, governments tend to quickly shift their policy focus to other issues once the immediate threat recedes. We must act now and break the vicious circle of indifference. This is the only way that will make us more prepared to withstand future pandemics,” says former President Tarja Halonen, who represents Finland at the Commission.
The Commission was tasked with drawing up recommendations for the post-COVID-19 period. The recommendations apply to investments and reforms needed at different levels of society to improve healthcare and social welfare systems, for example to strengthen social resilience and health security.
The Commission is chaired by Professor Mario Monti, former Prime Minister of Italy, and it consists of 19 members. President Halonen chairs two of the Commission’s working groups.
The call to action, delivered by the Commission on 16 March, is the first outcome of its work since it was convened in August 2020. The Commission will publish its final report in autumn 2021.
Inquiries:
Sarita Friman, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, firstname.lastname@stm.fi