Active Citizenship Network (ACN) has held on July 7th this EU Webinar as a follow up to the Annual Meeting of the Coalition for Vaccination, and at the beginning of the Czech Semester, the initiative has allowed discussion of the EU Institutions' commitment to Adult Vaccination: what weight will the topic of vaccinations have in the Council Conclusions scheduled for December? How the different health stakeholders (civil society, patients, health professionals, experts, and institutions) can work together on this, and what role adult vaccinations will play in the Conclusions?
The event, hosted by the MEPs Interest Group "European Patients' Rights & CrossBorder Healthcare, was realized in the framework of the VaccinAction2022 EU project, focused on supporting the need for strengthening adult vaccination in Europe and, starting from the citizens’ and healthcare stakeholders’ perspective, understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination campaign on the national immunisation plans, protecting the value of the adult immunisation and its gains. Hence the communication campaign’s first subject that will be launched soon.
Older adults are among the most vulnerable, due to several age-related factors, to influenza and its related complications: hospitalization due to cardiovascular events and pneumonia, loss of independence and death. Adopting, already developed, assessed and recognized by ECDC (2020 Systematic Report), tailored vaccine can provide protection beyond flu. Discuss with Health Care Professionals the best option for your Flu vaccination!
Did you know that you could take #VaccinAction in 2022 and talk to your healthcare professional today?
Italy’s experience with pneumococcal vaccination points the way forward in fighting respiratory illnesses. Read the article written by Active Citizenship Network Director and just published on VaccineToday.
Active Citizenship Network is glad to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federation of European Academies of Medicine (FEAM), a network of academies promoting cooperation between national academies of medicine, pharmacy and veterinary science across Europe. ACN and FEAM have agreed to collaborate to improve the health and safety of EU citizens by promoting the empowerment of citizens in European public policies, activities, and dialogues surrounding key healthcare issues as a key step towards a more inclusive Europe.
Active Citizenship Network is pleased to announce that a Memorandum of Understanding has recently been signed with the Dutch Orphans Feeding Foundation, a non-profit organization which supports orphans and vulnerable people globally. Orphans Feeding Foundation’s main objectives are the support of orphans and vulnerable children with regard to education, nutrition and health. Currently, Orphans Feeding Foundation focuses on supporting vulnerable populations suffering the war in Ukraine with continued healthcare, food and education. ACN and Orphans Feeding Foundation agreed to work together at the EU level in order to support each other’s initiatives and projects on the topic of the protection of patients’ rights and raise awareness on the needs surrounding patient care with relation to prevention.
Active Citizenship Network is glad to announce that it has recently signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Cyprian Universal Patients' Rights Association (UPRA), the only organization in the northern part of Cyprus whose mission is based on patients’ rights and who is offering support for patients and their relatives in their struggle with the violation of their rights. UPRA’s vision and mission take their essence from the European Charter of Patients’ Rights. For this reason, ACN and UPRA have become partners to support each other’s initiatives on the topics of the protection of patients’ rights stated in the European Charter of Patients’ Rights, reduction of health inequalities, patients’ empowerment, promotion of public health as a common good and have joined forces to raise awareness on the needs surrounding patient care and patients’ quality of life.
Active Citizenship Networks supports the dissemination of this survey, which aim is to gather the views of citizens in European Union Member States on personalized medicine. Personalized medicine tries to tailor healthcare to individual needs by taking the influence of genes, lifestyle and environment on health into account. Researchers need to combine data from many people to learn more about diseases. We would like to understand citizens' views on the use of their healthcare and lifestyle data, including genetic data and the sharing of such data. We would like to learn your views on how Personalized medicine may be applied in healthcare. With the results of the survey, we aim to contribute to responsible use of Personalized medicine, making citizens’ views available for policy to increase health benefits and reduce potential harms. The survey has been developed as part of the ExACT project (European network staff eXchange for integrAting precision health in the health Care sysTems), funded by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 Programme. The consortium consists of academic partners, such as university medical centers, and non-academic partners, such as the European Public Health Association EUPHA. For a complete list of partners, and more information on the project, see Partners (www.exactproject.net).
Since July, Active Citizenship Network is in constant and close contact with its Dutch partner, Orphans Feeding Foundation, engaged in Ukraine to bring medicines to the war-affected population.
Below are some of the pictures sent to us on August 21, 2022 by the organization's co-founder, Mariam Lambert, who reached Ukraine on August 9 with the first batch of cancer drugs (1 ton). “I am in Kharkiv, the situation is horrific..We have around 8 missiles striking above our head every single night but we managed to complete our mission”. This is the short message she sent us from the front. In the past few days Mariam managed to establish a first contact with the ACN's local historical partner associations, Ukrainian Union of Patients' Organizations and Southern Ukrainian Center of Citizens' Rights in Health, whose leaders are in Kiev.
‘This is Living’ is a collaboration of organizations, including Active Citizenship Network, who recognize that chronic conditions are a worldwide concern affecting individuals, their loved ones and society at large. We want to make a difference and help improve each day in some way. Small steps, big aspirations. ‘This is Living’ is about Inspiration, Tips and Advice, and Community.