EB158 - EU statement - Item 23 - Well-being and Health Promotion
WHO
158th session of the Executive Board
Item 23: Well-being and Health Promotion
EU Statement
Chair,
I have the honour of speaking on behalf of the European Union and its 27 Member States.
The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova[1] and Georgia as well as Armenia align themselves with this statement.
We welcome the reports by the Director-General, and we commend the WHO for the progress made in advancing the well-being agenda.
Unfortunately, promoting health and well-being is often considered a secondary matter rather than a political priority. However, resilient and thriving societies are built on the health and well-being of their populations. Therefore, we must firmly place well-being and health promotion on the agenda of policymakers across all sectors and levels of governance. Strong intersectoral platforms that actively support the development of "well-being societies" are essential, as are bottom-up initiatives and community-driven solutions.
Promoting well-being requires a comprehensive life-long health promotion and prevention approach that recognises the close interconnections between physical, mental and social health. The European Union is committed to this approach through initiatives such as the recent Safe Hearts Plan.
To truly promote health and ensure well-being for all, we must address all well-known determinants of health. Most importantly, we must regulate the commercialization of health services and build robust and accessible public health systems that include health promotion as an essential pillar. Disadvantaged groups should not experience poorer health outcomes because of limited available financial resources or other vulnerabilities. In addition, if we want to address today’s public health challenges, we need to acknowledge that all stakeholders play a role in supporting well-being and encourage, within national and, where relevant, regional contexts, as appropriate, legislation and regulation, policies and actions regarding marketing strategies that encourage unhealthy lifestyles.
Social isolation and loneliness are urgent public health issues that affect people across all ages and demographic categories and are linked to mental health problems and NCDs. The WHO, particularly the flagship report of the WHO Commission on Social Connection, provides actionable guidance to address loneliness and social isolation and foster social connection. The report envisions a future in which the promotion of social connection has the potential to improve well-being, reduce preventable deaths and boost education and economic resilience.These recommendations and implementation models serve as a valuable foundation. Now, concrete action needs to follow!
We applaud the WHO for its leadership and convening role in this area, and appeal to WHO to continue its work on social connection as a core component of mental health promotion and resilient, person-centred health systems. The European Union and its 27 member states are fully committed to achieving, together with WHO, well-being for all.
[1] North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.