Investment in Health set as a priority in the Social Investment Package

The European Commission has adopted its Social Investment Package for growth and cohesion. The initiative aims to help Member States to use their social and health budgets more efficiently and effectively, by promoting best practices and providing guidance. Investing in Health is a key component of the Package. The report particularly highlights investment in health as one solution to reduce health inequalities. Average levels of health have been improving across the EU for many years, but this hides major health inequalities that still exist both between and within Member States. Avoidable diseases and deaths attributable to inequalities in health are a waste of human capital and must be reduced. Universal access to safe, high quality, efficient healthcare services and better cooperation between social and healthcare services, and effective action on risk factors can all help break the vicious circle of poor health/poverty/exclusion. The Commission will produce a report in 2013 on the implementation of its 2009 Communication on inequalities in health.

The EU Health Program, the Cohesion and Structural Funds, as well as the Research and Innovation Funds (Horizon 2020) can support investment in health all across the European Union.

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