EU Health Commissioner Vasiliou outlines targets

Androulla Vasiliou, EU Commissioner for Health, has outlined the main targets of the European Union, under the EU Strategy for Health.

Vasiliou was the main speaker at an event of the European Policy Centre (think tank for European Union affairs), titled: “Building a Healthier Europe: Opportunities and Prospects”.

In her speech, Vasiliou referred extensively to the EU Strategy for Health, noting that the key objective is to seek a high level of health in an aging Europe, to protect the European citizens from the risks to public health, and to promote a dynamic health system and new technologies.

In this context, Vasiliou stressed the importance of preventive health care and the need to change dietary habits, especially among young people.

On future challenges for the EU in health matters, Vasiliou referred to access inequality to health services.

“All the European citizens should be healthy and have access to high level of health services, regardless of where they live, what their occupation is and how much money they earn”, she pointed out.

As regards the international financial crisis, Vasiliou said that now is the best time for a discussion on the health sector, noting that the solution of money cuts in this specific sector is wrong.

Investment in the health sector can contribute to tackle unemployment, she said and concluded: “Consequently, economy and health are firmly linked concepts”.