Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper) Some European countries are experiencing a “tough winter” with increasing pressure on health systems amid strikes, drug shortages, and a surge in hospital bed occupancies.
Although Europe focuses on political and economic issues like Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, uncertainty about energy prices, and the cost of living, health has become an important agenda item for many European countries.
A rise in flu and coronavirus cases, as well as strikes by healthcare workers, has played a major role in increasing pressure on health systems that have caused long lines at hospitals and left many beds occupied at more than expected rates.
That things are progressing in the right direction proof is this week’s event in the EU, where there’s an agreement of the Conference of Presidents on the establishment of a new Sub-committee on Public Health under the Committee on the Environment, Public Health, and Food Safety.
On this topic for the newspaper the EPP Group stated that their members are pushing for the setting up of the sub-committee since the middle of the Parliament’s current mandate.
“We have repeatedly and consistently called for the creation of a European Health Union that brings true added value to EU citizens and we believe the new sub-committee will help us get a step closer to this achievement. It is great news that we finally got an agreement, despite Green opposition”, said Manfred Weber MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group.
“The EPP Group made public health a European priority. Our plan to fight cancer and successful vaccine development has made health a priority for years to come”, he added.
The plenary will confirm the coming into force of the new sub-committee in February.
The EPP Group also welcomed an extension of the Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic for three more months. “This extension provides us with extra time to properly look at our response to the pandemic in the areas of health, democracy, and fundamental rights, economy and society, and the EU’s global relationships”, said Stelios Kympouropoulos, the EPP Group’s Spokesman in the COVID-19 Committee.
The vote on the final report of the COVID-19 Committee is expected in July 2023.
