WHO

154^th Session of the Executive Board

Item 19 – Social determinants of health

EU Statement

Chair,

Excellencies,

Director General, Dr Tedros,

I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union and its 27 Member States.

The candidate countries Türkiye, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine[1] and Georgia align themselves with this statement.

The EU welcomes this update on the progress of the WHO World Report on Social Determinants of Health Equity and looks forward to the publication of the final report later this year.

We welcome the efforts that have been made since 2008 regarding the three guiding targets that were defined in the agenda of the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health. However, we must also acknowledge the reductions in life expectancy in many EU countries in 2020 and 2021, especially in Central and Eastern Europe.  Despite the fortunate success in reducing adult mortality and child and maternal mortality, it is important that we consider social and health inequalities. Hence, we recognize that these reductions will be insufficient to meet the 2040 targets as set out in 2008 report and endorse further action.

Addressing social determinants is and will be indispensable, as significant inequalities exist in health status across and within WHO Member States with social determinants contributing to these inequalities. We cannot underestimate the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic, the triple planetary crisis including climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, including caused by chemicals as well as multiple conflicts and the cost of living crisis  have had in terms of exacerbating these inequalities. This polycrisis highlights the importance of addressing underlying inequalities and inequities in particular, the rising poverty in its wake.

The social determinants of health, are profoundly linked with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) based on commitments expressed in the Rio Political Declaration on Social Determinants of Health. However, progress has been unequal and will need to be accelerated in order to meet the SDGs by 2030.

We know that inequities in health are responsive to change through systematic and coordinated policy interventions. Public Health strategies and public health and social services can play an important role here. The evidence indicates that complex issues such as these require solutions that are aligned with an intersectoral approach, linked to broader governance and development evidence-based and participative policies.

The EU welcomes the broad approach encapsulated in the four overarching recommendations in the forthcoming report which will act as enablers of changes across whole of government and whole of society.

Investing in reducing these health inequalities will further contribute to social cohesion and ultimately have a positive impact on health through reducing these disparities.

The EU further welcomes the fourteen specific recommendation for consideration as set out in the update and acknowledges their broad scope. We encourage all MS to implement them by taking a whole of government and whole of society approach. We will also need multi-sectoral cross-UN action to work effectively on addressing the social determinants of health. In doing so, we can truly advance progress on social determinants of health.

We look forward to working with the WHO in progressing the recommendations of the soon to be published report. 

Thank you.

[1] North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.