-

-

Dr. Carole Maignan

WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Developmen, Venice, Italy

*The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the author and do not

necessarily reflect the views of the World Health Organisation.

Empowering the health system: what new challenges and opportunities in Europe?

-

-

The WHO European Regionis composed of 52 Member States

-

-

20%

25%

55%

< 3 millions

< 5 millions

> 5 millions

900 million people are the population of the WHO European Region

-

-

The income level varies widely within the WHO European Region

15% low income <756$

38% medium income

47%

high income >9.265$

-

-

65

70

75

80

1970 1980 1990 2000

United Kingdom

EU 15 members before May 2004

EU 10 new members since May 2004

CIS

Life expectancy at birth in years

There are wide variations in life expectancy between countries

-

-

Glasgow, Scotland

8 years difference in life expectancy

-

-

Torino, Italy

8 years difference in life expectancy

-

-

Challenges and

Opportunities

The power of health systems

Outline of this presentation

A quick look at WHO Venice

Office

-

-

The WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development

Venice, Italy

-

-

The Venice Office has two main functions:

1. To monitor, review and systematize the policy implications of emerging research findings on the social and economic determinants of health.

2. To provide a set of services to increase the European capacity to promote population health.

-

-

1. Where is health produced?

2. What investment strategies might have a greater impact on population’s health?

3. What strategies can contribute to reduce health inequalities and have an added value for the social and economic development?

Determinants of healthStrategic questions

-

-

ENVIRONMENT

SOCIAL ECONOMICS

GENETICS

HEALTHDETERMINANTS

-

-

A quick look at WHO Venice Office

The power of health systems

Challenges and Opportunities

-

-

Health system’s role: health for development

•Health system definition

• Health care: cure illnesses

• Health promotion: keep population healthy

-

-

Health system’s role: health for development

•Health as a resource for development

• Positive effects on earnings, labour force participation and job choice• An extra year of life expectancy can improve labour market productivity by about 1%• Health is an important form of human capital and as such a productive asset

• There is a strong argument for extra investment in health over and above the direct welfare benefits that good health brings

-

-

Health system’s role: development for health

• Health systems are also employers and buyers

• Health systems contribute to local employment of skilled and non-skilled staff

•Health systems contribute to local economy by buying local goods

•Health systems contribute to reduction of inequalities and poverty by taking special actions towards poverty, immigration, ageing…

•Role of health in Research and Development

-

-

The power of

health systems

Challenges and

Opportunities

A quick look at WHO Venice Office

-

-

If the health system wants to:

• be part of the development agenda

• contribute to reduction of health inequalities

It needs to demonstrate its role in:

• economic development in terms of employment, purchases

• reducing health inequalities

What can the health system do?

-

-

• Employment opportunities

• Innovative Recruitment

• Local procurement

What can the health system do?

-

-

• Good examples of “good practice” in different countries

• Documentation of actions and their impacts on the regional development

• Case-studies and pilot studies on regional initiatives and hospital policies

• New knowledge, know-how and skills!

What do we need ?