EPHA letter to European Council on investment into health in times of crisis

(Brussels, 22 June 2012) The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) has drafted an Open Letter to Heads of States and Governments, with the support of MEPs and 65 leading trade unions, civil society organisations, health organisations and industry associations. It calls upon them to stop cutting essential health and welfare systems when discussing austerity measures and reforms to public financing, as this is ultimately a false economy.

The letter underlines that "the toll on physical and mental health is becoming unbearable, and health systems are at breaking point. Underpinned by evidence collected and collated by EPHA, the letter holds that the current indiscriminate cuts to social support and healthcare not only threaten the fundamentals right of access to care, but also undermines the core values at the heart of the European vision and the functioning of our democracies". It further reads: "The evidence is already emerging, with indications of a rise in mortality, morbidity and epidemiological surveillance of communicable diseases figures. Short term savings from cutting health and social spending as proposed in some Member States will both means worse health and social outcomes and higher expenditure because patients will need more intensive and expensive interventions in the longer term."

EPSU has contributed to and co-signed the letter. Points raised i.a. comprise the call to show the courage to think beyond the short-term and to support measures that strengthen solidarity-based systems of social protection including health care.

Read the letter (in EN) and more information on the initiative