With the next edition of our transformative webinar series “Planetary Health Dialogues” on Thursday, 4th May 2023, 4.00-5.00 pm CET we would like to focus on the need for transformation of EU health systems towards health equity and a wellbeing economy.
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The German, and most European health systems are part of an economic system that lacks sustainability outcomes, with respect to society, health or ecology. With an ageing population, often affected by multiple morbidities and specific health needs, future demand for health services will skyrock. These challenges are amplified by health systems that are historically anchored in the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity, but at the same time driven by economic interests and expansive growth. This leads intrinsically to negative side-effects such as environmental pollution, inequality of access to health care, low quality care and overconsumption of medical care.
The transformation of European health systems is overdue. To achieve this, we need to take a values-based, forward-looking perspective and ask what kind of health systems the EU member states will need in 25 years’ time that respect the ecological limits while maintaining essential social and medical services.
Building on our recent think piece The Need for Transformation to a Post-Growth Health and Economic System, together with Caroline Costongs, Director of EuroHealthNet, and Dr. Remco van de Pas, Senior Researcher at the CPHP, we will discuss the following questions:
- What would be the values and principles of a future vision for Post-Growth EU health systems?
- What are the policy priorities to advance an economy of wellbeing and health equity within planetary boundaries?
- How can ‘co-benefit policy-making’ look like, that promotes the publics’ health and protects the environment?
- What is needed to constrain the commercial drivers in the health care sector itself?
“The Need for Transformation to Post-Growth EU Health systems” is the fourth event of CPHP’s webinar series „Planetary Health Dialogues“, a monthly exchange between with German and international scholars, policymakers, and civil society actors to reflect and to collaborate on ideas for a paradigm shift towards equity, health and well-being within planetary boundaries.