On 2 and 3 July 2015, Luxembourg formed part of a high-level meeting in Andorra aimed at inspiring and improving the development of health policies in small countries.
Representatives from eight countries in the European Region of the World Health Organisation (WHO) with a population of less than one million met to review the progress and challenges of the alignment of small countries to the guidelines of the Health 2020 initiative, the new European health policy framework. Aside from Luxembourg, the countries involved were Andorra; Cyprus; Iceland; Malta; Monaco; Montenegro; and San Marino.
The meeting represented the second of its kind and was based on the agreements reach at the first high-level meeting between the small countries, which took place in San Marino in July 2014. The concept behind the meetings is that small countries may provide the institutional flexibility and social cohesion needed to develop health policies and which may potentially be lacking in countries with larger populations.
"The objectives of Health 2020 can only be gained by working together, collectively, but also individually," claimed Dr. Robert Goerens of the Ministry of Health. "People need to realise that they themselves are primarily responsible for their own health. However, European citizens, regardless of their current situation, should all have a guarantee of equal access to a high-quality health service."
The meeting was organised in conjunction with WHO/Europe, and involved technical briefings, round tables and presentations. This year's meeting was able to provide an overview of health care reforms and the financing of healthcare in the participating countries, with suggestions for an action plan subsequently made.
Luxembourg reportedly had the opportunity to present national plans and successful precedents such as the national plans of the National Health Conference and the Health Portal. It was also a chance to take stock of the implementation of the Health 2020 policy in the European Region of the WHO, as well as recommendations stated in the Study on the social determinants of health and the health divide in this region.
The meeting was concluded with a presentation of the topics to be discussed at the Third High Level Meeting, which will be hosted in 2016 by the Principality of Monaco.
Photo by World Health Organisation