European perspectives on global health: a policy glossary

2. Europe must include global
health in all fields of policy
The driving forces of globalisation are the
cultural, social, economic and technological
movements which shape the perception and
reality of our world. These are manifested
in state policies concerning international
relations and security, agriculture and trade,
in the policies and practices of multi-national
companies and in the everyday lives of global
citizens.
Health is no longer seen as a product of development,
but is now understood as one of the keys to
economic growth. The economic and social impact
of bad health can be devastating. The Commission
on Macroeconomics and Health estimated that the
economies of certain Sub-Saharan countries will shrink
by 20 % as a result of HIV / AIDS, while the potential
impact of a global pandemic such as avian influenza
could result in tens of millions of deaths and global
recession. Even the minor outbreak of SARS in 2004,
which was insignificant in terms of population health
impact, was estimated to have resulted in a loss of
$15 billion to the global economy. In poor countries
lack of equitable access to health and care means
that the poorest pay a higher percentage of their
resources for health. This both limits development
and is corrosive to society. There are warnings that
HIV / AIDS could destabilise the South Asian region
and contribute to more failed states. Conversely, good
health can be a major source of economic and social
development. The rapid development out of poverty by
Pacific Rim countries was accompanied by an increase
of life expectancy of some 18 years which resulted in
a very large increase in productivity.
The link between health and social and economic
development within the EU is recognised in Article
152 ( ex. Article 129 ) of the Treaty of the <strong>European</strong>
Union, which requires that a high level of human
health protection should be ensured in the definition
and implementation of all Community policies and
actions. This was refined in June 2001 during the
Gothenburg <strong>European</strong> Council, which requested that
the Commission include in its action plan for better
regulation mechanisms for all policy proposals to
include impact assessment of their economic, social
and environmental consequences, including for health.
To date, health impact assessment has rarely been
applied to external policy issues, partly because until
recently EU foreign policy was relatively undefined.
Action : The initiative proposed during the Finnish
Presidency of the EU from July 2006 “Health in All
Policies” is an important opportunity to consider
the impact of both internal and external policies
on health. An examination of the health impacts of
external policies would make it possible to recognise
the positive and negative impact of trade and aid and
factors such as the migration of health professionals
on both the EU and for resource-poor countries.
References
Byrne, D. Enabling Good Health for Health : A Reflection
Process for a New EU Health Strategy. Brussels : <strong>European</strong>
Commission, 2004.
<strong>European</strong> Union, Commission of the <strong>European</strong> Communities.
Accelerating progress towards attaining the Millennium
Development Goals – Financing for Development and Aid
Effectiveness. COM( 2005 ) 133 final. Brussels, April 2005.
McKee M. “<strong>European</strong> health policy : where now ?”
<strong>European</strong> Journal of Public Health. 2005, 15 ( 6 ) : 557-558
Global Health Policy Glossary
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