Greek Health Minister, Spyridon-Adonis Georgiadis, will host the Informal Meeting of the European Ministers of Health, on 28-29 April 2014, at Zappeion Megaron in Athens.

The Ministers will have the opportunity to discuss a number of very important health issues for EU citizens and the sustainability of health systems.

Minister Georgiadis said that “recognizing that good health is a prerequisite for economic growth and well-being, one of the most serious challenges Europe is facing today is how to make health systems sustainable and more responsive to the healthcare needs of European citizens, while migrant health is also of great importance and needs our full attention”.

eHealth and health innovation
The Informal Meeting of the Health Ministers will start on 28 April with a working lunch. Ministers will discuss issues related to e-health solutions contributing to the efficiency of health systems, including ePrescription and mHealth.

Migration and public health
During the first session, “migration and public health”, Ministers will concentrate on migration and its implications on public health and health services, focusing particularly on how to better address the health needs of the migrants and highlight the positive aspects of an enhanced cooperation of the EU Member States on a common public health challenge.

Economic crisis and health care
On the second day of the meeting, discussions will focus on the impact of the economic crisis on health and healthcare systems. Minister Georgiadis said that “at times of economic crisis and budgetary constraints, there is enormous pressure to curb expenditure and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of health systems. To answer the question of how we can make it happen, EU Health Ministers will exchange experiences and best practices on the impact of the economic crisis on healthcare systems and the ways Member States have coped with it and the lessons learned, aimed at identifying key elements for policy options to overcome the crisis, and build resilient, innovative, and effective health systems, in order to accommodate the citizens’ needs, particularly of the most vulnerable groups of the population.”

The Presidency will hold a press conference at the end of the meeting.