who europe presents at cleanmed europe 2016

Towards Environmentally

Sustainable Health Systems in

the European Region

Gerardo Sanchez

WHO Regional Office for Europe

CleanMed Europe, Copenhagen, October 2016

Division of Policy and Governance for Health and Wellbeing


From the perspective of WHO EURO:

1. Why do we care about it?

2. What is our mandate?

3. What have we done so far?

4. Where are we going from here?

Key questions on the environmental sustainability of health systems (ESHS)



• Health systems are major consumers of energy and resources, producers of emissions and waste streams

• Environmental sustainability actions can provide multiple opportunities and benefits:

for patients,

providers and the health workforce,

health systems’ core functions,

decreasing environmental health risks, EBD

Why care about ESHS?



Globally:

• SDGs

• World Health Assembly resolutions

European Region (53 MS):

• Health2020, Tallinn Charter

• Parma declaration

• EU regulations (part of EURO)

Our mandate (why are we working on this? )

Chemicals mgmt.

Waste mgmt.

WASH

Mercury - Minamata

SAICM in HS



• Compile and evaluate evidence

• Create partnerships

• Strategic approach toward ESHS

• Mainstreaming ESHS into policy process

What have we done so far?



Environmental impacts

• Greenhouse gas emissions, largely embedded

• Water use and wastewater generation

• Waste production (general and hazardous)

• Chemicals and others

Opportunities from ESHS

• Reduced environmental burden of disease

• Financial savings, efficiency gains

• Increased physical activity effects on NCDs

• HS Resilience, reduced need for travel, others

The evidence on ESHS

Continuous evidence compilation

Case studies

Governmental reports

Scientific literature



Partnerships



Experts

Meetings, knowledge exchange

Member states

Stakeholders



Vision:

“… improve, maintain or restore health, while minimizing negative impacts on the environment and leveraging opportunities to restore and improve the environment to the benefit of the health and well-being of current and future generations”

A strategic approach towards ESHS

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

A

B

C



Just finished – stakeholder consultation … which areas of action do you consider the most relevant?

Yes 97%

No Answer 3%

Do you support the adoption of the vision statement put forth in the document?

• Diversity of member states: “non-green” economies, federal vs national structures

• Emphasis on healthcare workforce education

Promoting inter-

sectorial action

20%

Innovative models

of care

3% Increasing

community

resilience

6%

Engaging health

workforce

7%

Strengthening PHS

7%

Creating incentives

for change

7%

Sustainable

procurement

5%

Promoting access /

mgmt. resources

6%

Managing waste and

chemicals

20%

Reducing emissions

and increase

resilence

19%



Expert, stakeholders, MS meetings

EHTF meetings, other policy channels

European Environment and Health Ministerial Conference

(summer 2017)

Mainstreaming ESHS into policy processes

SDG agenda implementation

WHO EURO support • Evidence, best practice

• Technical “Know-how”

• Policy promotion, advocacy

• Facilitator, convener



Thanks

Write to us at:

[email protected]

Visit us at:

http://www.euro.who.int/climatechange

mailto:[email protected]



who europe presents at cleanmed europe 2016

Health & Medicine