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The Minister of Health Mr. Michael Hadjipandela attended the EU Health Council, which took place today in Luxembourg.
The main focus of the Council's work was the Proposal for a Regulation on the European Health Data Space (EHDS) which aims to facilitate patients' access to their health data in electronic form and the exchange of this data with health professionals within the EU. In parallel, the ministers exchanged views on the revision of the EU Global Health Strategy, as well as on the issue of the European Strategy on vaccines against the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, they were briefed on the new emerging health challenges of acute hepatitis in children and smallpox in monkeys, as well as on the health support and humanitarian assistance provided to Ukraine by the European Union.
In his intervention during the debate on the European Health Data Space (EHDS), the Health Minister welcomed the new proposal for a Regulation from the Commission, noting that the European Health Data Space will promote better exchange and access to different types of health data, not only to support healthcare delivery, but also to prevent diseases, chronic conditions, genetic and other rare diseases. Investing in the use and exploitation of health data and its processing with artificial and computational intelligence methods, he added, will also help for research and innovation purposes, as well as for general health policy making. In addition, digital services will combat bureaucracy, unnecessary cross-border movement of patients, transfer of manuscripts and duplication of examinations, while also promoting transparency, the Minister stressed. Hatzipandela stressed that the Cyprus Government has proceeded with the adoption of the e-Health Law and the establishment of the National e-Health Authority, as an independent and autonomous entity, with the aim of implementing the e-Health roadmap. The basic principles of the proposed European Health Data Space Regulation are in line with our national legislation, Hajipandela said, stressing that Cyprus is expected to be able to harmonise with the new regulation as soon as it is adopted at the European level.
Subsequently, in his intervention during the debate on the revision of the EU Global Health Strategy, the Health Minister thanked Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakidou for preparing this comprehensive proposal and the French Presidency for bringing the issue before the Ministers for discussion. The global health architecture, Hajipandela said, has changed radically since 2010 and we are therefore called upon to renew the strategy, drawing lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic and in the light of international developments such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As key elements of the strategy, the Minister of Health highlighted, inter alia, the need for strengthened multilateralism within the World Health Organization, the importance of international solidarity particularly towards low and middle income countries, enhanced cooperation, timely exchange of information on serious cross-border health threats, and sharing of best practices. Our vision must be to strengthen the leading role of the European Union in shaping global health decisions through a multi-level strategy, and Cyprus is committed to making a constructive contribution to both the development and implementation of the new Global Strategy, the Minister concluded.
During a working lunch, the Ministers had the opportunity to exchange views on the upcoming challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic vaccine strategy at European and global level. In his intervention, Mr Hadjipandela stressed, inter alia, the need to further strengthen coordination by continuing solidarity actions towards third countries in order to achieve the global vaccine target as soon as possible.
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