(L-R): Dr. Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe; Franco Santi, Minister of Health San Marino; Neville Calleja, Minister of Health of Malta; Lydia Mutsch, Luxembourg's Minister of Health;
Credit: MSAN
Luxembourg's Minister of Health, Lydia Mutsch, participated in the 5th High Level Meeting of Small States, which took place in Reykjavik from 26 to 27 2018 June.
Under the theme "Working together for better health and the well-being of all", the meeting allowed 8 countries with less than 1 million inhabitants (Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro and San Marino) to exchange effective examples of implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Topics covered included universal health coverage, non-communicable disease control (promotion of nutrition and physical activity), and the concept of resilience as a critical factor in improving welfare - health and safety.
In the presence of Iceland's Prime Minister, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, and Iceland's Minister of Health, Svandís Svavarsdóttir, Minister Mutsch presented multi-disciplinary, inter-departmental and inter-governmental prevention initiatives launched by in Luxembourg in a collaborative and participative approach.
"For our policies to be sustainable and our awareness-raising campaigns to pay off and change behaviour, we need to consult with all stakeholders in the health system and include them in the various decision-making processes," said Minister Mutsch. "Moreover, it is necessary to better involve the user in the governance of the health system and the construction of health policies, based on innovative approaches and closer to users."
On the sidelines of the meeting, Lydia Mutsch also had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Zsuzsanna Jakab, Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Europe, including the importance to be given to Health Literacy and Patient Empowerment, as well as policy options for small countries that allow them to reduce inequalities in access to care. The two decision-makers also exchanged views on the voluntary cooperation initiative BeNeLuxA, recently joined by Ireland, which was noted in this context as an example of good practice.
