The EU is implementing measures to help further strengthen and support our health services across Europe, including in Ireland.

The vote to establish the proposal for a stand-alone health programme for the 2021 – 2027 period – the EU4Health programme, was debated and voted on in the European Parliament last week.

The EU4Health programme was published by the European Commission on May 28th 2020. This proposal will build on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 crisis to advance three main priorities: strengthening health systems, making medicines available and affordable and tackling cross-border health threats.

In response to COVID-19, which has had a major impact on medical and healthcare staff, patients and health systems in Europe, the European Parliament called for a financial upgrade to the existing EU4Health programme. The EU4Health programme will provide funding to EU countries, health organisations and NGOs. Funding will be open for applications in 2021.

It is also hoped through this programme that there will be a return to the production of medicines in Europe. Whereas medicines are mostly produced in India, as much as 80 percent of the active ingredients come from China. The EU4Health programme aims to help manufacturers to produce medicines in Europe.

Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune said:

“Now more than ever, health must come first. This is a really significant undertaking by the EU in order to improve health services across Europe, including in Ireland. The EU4Health programme will provide funding to EU countries, health organisations and NGOs and funding will be open for applications in 2021.”

“This is a very difficult time for everyone but Member States, including Ireland must work together to ensure better outcomes for all. We must step-up our cooperation and data sharing. It is certainly the case that cooperation between Member States has improved since the start of the pandemic but we must ensure that we stay coordinated.”

“The updated EU4Health programme will improve healthcare systems in EU Member States along with training more health staff, exchanging best practices between countries, supporting digitalisation in the healthcare sector and overall reducing health inequalities across Europe. In addition to this, under the updated EU health programme financing will be put in place for plans in the fight against cancer.”

Other objectives addressed in the report include the shortage of medicines, the fight against cancer with emphasis on paediatric cancer, innovation, and prudent use of medicines. The report also includes the Establishment of EU4Health Steering Group and a European Health Response Mechanism.

The EU is the world’s largest trading bloc with 27 nations and 450 million people.