[PIO] Participation of the Director General of the Ministry of Health in the Informal Meeting of Health Ministers of the European Union

The Director General of the Ministry of Health, Dr Christina Giannaki, participated in the Informal Meeting of EU Health Ministers held on 10 February in Grenoble.

In her interventions, Dr Giannaki focused on issues of strengthening cooperation at a pan-European level between the Member States of the European Union to ensure the health of its citizens, beyond the pandemic. Referring to the unprecedented public health crisis, she said that the pandemic provides an opportunity, through the EU4Health Public Health Programme, to fund projects such as the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), the European Beating Cancer Plan, the European Drug Strategy. In addition, the programme can make an important contribution to strengthening the capacities of the MS and facilitating the implementation of legislation. It is also important to provide support to the European Medicines Agency to build patient-centred health systems at levels beyond the pandemic. The contribution of the European Union, he said, is vital to support Member States in increasing the functionality of patients' organisations, the acquisition and enrichment of knowledge of the legal framework by health professionals and patients, the development of training programmes for health professionals and patients with a view to their joint participation in health sector initiatives, and the promotion of the legal framework for Health Technology Assessment. A universal approach to create a basis for programmes, policy, legislation and research to benefit both humans and animals for their harmonious coexistence, and to avoid complex diseases as a result of human intervention in habitats.

Finally, during the working lunch, the Ministers had the opportunity to address important issues related to the management of the health crisis. Dr Giannakis stressed the need to review the current crisis management framework through concerted efforts to ensure a smooth transition and adoption of any changes in order to avoid any gaps and oversights that have characterized the management of the pandemic to date.

(AF)
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