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Year 12th, number 131 - December 2024
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Highlight |
European civil society stands together to strengthen the health workforce and citizens' right to health
42 civic, patient and healthcare professionals’ organisations, supported by 5 MEPs from the two largest political groups in the European Parliament (EPP and S&D), addressed an open letter to the newly elected European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi. This joint effort, led by Cittadinanzattiva - Active Citizenship Network and RPP Group, aims to underline the urgency of tackling the European health workforce crisis in order to protect citizens’ right to health. Read more and download the document

MEP Brando Benifei (S&D, Italy) signing the open letter
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Focus |
MEPs video message to reinforce the call to action
The political initiative, promoted by by Cittadinanzattiva - Active Citizenship Network with the support of RPP Group, which saw the drafting of an open letter addressed to the European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, was also endorsed by 5 MEPs who have thus further strengthened the message, aimed at addressing the crisis of the health workforce for everyone's protection.
Four of them also decided to record video messages. Watch the collective video message and the ones by MEP Ondřej Dostál (NI, Czech Republic), MEP Loucas Fourlas (EPP, Cyprus), MEP András Kulja (EPP, Hungary), MEP Tomislav Sokol (EPP, Croatia). 
MEP Ondrej Dostál (NI, Czechia) signing the open letter
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Special section on the #CareforAll 2024 social media campaign |
“Supporting health workforce to strengthen patients’ rights in the EU”. With this message, the #CareforAll 2024 campaign was launched online, featuring representatives of 13 associations from 10 countries as testimonials. Promoted by Active Citizenship Network, the campaign urges the EU Institutions to take decisive action in support of the health workforce, thus safeguarding the health and well-being of all EU citizens, and empowering healthcare professionals for everyone’s protection. Watch the collective video message and read more.

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The representative of the Irish Patients Association reminds us that 15 million people work in the healthcare sector, representing over 7% of the EU workforce and almost 4% of the EU population. Watch the video-message from ACN’s Irish partner.

Here is the message from ALCER - Federación Nacional de Asociaciones para la lucha contra las enfermedades del riñón, the Spanish partner of ACN

Here is the message from the Croatian Association for the Promotion of Patients' Rights, the Croatian partner of ACN

The representative of the Bulgarian Association for Patients' Defence (BAPD) underlines that doctors, nurses and all health workers must have legal working conditions and safe staffing levels. Watch the video-message of ACN’s Bulgarian partner.

A representative of Cittadinanzattiva - Active Citizenship Network points out that the pandemic has exacerbated existing problems, such as job strain, skills shortages and medical desertification, raising new challenges for future health threats. Watch the video-message.

Here is the message from the Kultlab Celje Society, the Slovenian partner of ACN

The EPECS representative denounces that the crisis health workers are going through undermines the goal of making national health services more resilient. Watch the video-message of ACN's Dutch partner.

The representative of the Malta Health Network reminds the Institutions that the health conditions of European citizens and the working conditions of health workers deserve proper attention. Watch the video-message of ACN's Maltese partner.

Through the representative of the Institute for Patients' Rights and Health Education (IPPEZ) we call on EU institutions and Member States to update university curricula to include relevant training in immunisation and communication skills. Watch the video-message from the ACN’s Polish partner.

Here is another message from Cittadinanzattiva-Active Citizenship Network

Here is the message from the Cyprus Federation of Patients’ Associations (CyFPA), ACN's Cypriot partner

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News |
Patients' Rights |
From pandemic to endemic: integrating COronaVIrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) into the broader respiratory disease narrative
Fill in the EU civic survey addressed to civil society organisations and patient advocacy groups across Europe, aiming at identifying their opinions and concerns. The survey is anonymous and only takes a few minutes to complete. Deadline: 31 January 2025
This initiative has been developed by Active Citizenship Network as part of the EU project "Empowering & mobilizing PAGs on COVID-19 prevention & treatments for vulnerable target groups" and, more broadly, is consistent with its long-term commitment to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic at the national & at the EU level.

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10 policy recommendations for promoting vaccination: the citizens' perspective for the new EU Institutions
10 policy recommendations for the promotion of vaccinations have been developed to make them available to the new EU institutions. They were produced and supported by civil society organisations (CSOs) together with patient advocacy groups (PAGs), a total of 35 entities from 16 member states.
This document is part of the #VaccinAction2024 EU project by Active Citizenship Network. To download the document, click here.

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Hitting new heights. Improving vaccination uptake among patients with chronic conditions across Europe
The report was produced by the International Longevity Centre (ILC) in collaboration with the Coalition for Life-course Immunisation (CLCI), both ACN partners. Active Citizenship Network was among the organisations and stakeholders who participated in the discussions that contributed to this report. Read more

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COVID-19 Policy and Disease Management Recommendations in the Post-Pandemic Era
During 2024, the Director of Active Citizenship Network was involved in a global COVID-19 policy roundtable with stakeholders representing advocacy organizations across Europe, Canada and Japan. The collaborative initiative marked the publication of a new policy paper aimed at identifying best practices for a sustainable public health management of COVID 19 in a post-pandemic phase and supporting patients at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19, including those with chronic conditions and compromised immune systems, as we navigate this new phase. To download the document, click here.

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Council conclusions on the improvement of cardiovascular health in the EU & the role of vaccination
The recent Council conclusions on the improvement of cardiovascular health in the EU, adopted on 3 December 2024, are an encouraging sign for the 60 million Europeans suffering from cardiovascular disease (CVD), which increases the risk of developing serious complications from respiratory viruses such as seasonal influenza, COVID-19 and RSV. Vaccination against these respiratory viruses can reduce the risk of CVD-associated complications, which is particularly important for adults. In this regard, one of the main objectives of the innovative EU4Health Co-Operator project – in which Cittadinanzattiva-Active Citizeship Network is officially involved - is to improve communication skills and knowledge, address the factors influencing vaccine uptake and improve the way health workers communicate about vaccines. Read more about the Council conclusions.

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Publications |
Call to action to the European Commission to urgently address the health workforce crisis and the upskilling of healthcare professionals
The new EU Institutions are called upon to address the health workforce crisis by supporting healthcare professionals’ knowledge acquisition and upskilling, which are the main preconditions for greater protection of patients' rights across Europe. Read the article written by Cittadinanzattiva - Active Citizenship Network and RPP Group and published by the international Journal of Medical & Clinical Case Reports edited by Medvix Publications, media partner of ACN.

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Events |
15-17 January 2025 I Pisa (Italy) & online: co-OPERATOR 3rd Transnational Meeting
From 15 to 17 January 2025, the members of the consortium of the EU-funded CO-OPERATOR project, including Cittadinanzattiva-Active Citizeship Network, will participate in the 3rd Transnational Meeting, to be held in Pisa (Italy) and hosted by one of the Italian members, the University of Pisa. The new EU4Health Co-Operator project is designed to provide evidence-based recommendations to support EU policy makers and stakeholders in prioritising and actively implementing comprehensive lifecourse vaccination strategies at regional, national and European levels. To stay informed about project developments, you can subscribe to the newsletter here.

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16 January 2025 I online: NIGHTINGALE Final Event
Mark your calendar for the final event of the EU Horizon 2020 NIGHTINGALE project: stay tuned for registration details and more information coming soon!
The NIGHTINGALE project, in which Cittadinanzattiva-Active Citizenship Network is a partner, has been pioneering a cutting-edge integrated toolkit to revolutionize emergency medical response during mass casualty incidents. Designed to enhance the operational capabilities of emergency medical services and civil protection agencies, the toolkit is tailored for different users, including firefighters, police, search and rescue personnel, volunteers and citizens.
During the project, the toolkit underwent rigorous testing and validation by first responders. This includes practical training, laboratory assessments, and small and large-scale field tests under realistic conditions to ensure its reliability and effectiveness in crisis scenarios.
Join us as we unveil the results and celebrate the achievements of the NIGHTINGALE project. Together, we’re shaping the future of emergency medical response. Write to: d.quaggia@activecitizenship.net. Read more about the project.

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16-17 January 2025 I Madrid (Spain): FACILITATE General Assembly
The FACILITATE project will host its General Assembly in Madrid on 16 and1 7 January 2025, bringing together all project partners, including Cittadinanzattiva-Active Citizenship Network (ACN) as WP6 leader, to discuss the latest progress and next steps.
FACILITATE is a groundbreaking four-year initiative launched by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI). Its primary goal is to empower participants in clinical trials by providing them with access to and control over personal health data collected during studies. This approach aims to foster better shared decision-making between patients and healthcare professionals, improving care and ensuring that data can be safely reused for future research.
This General Assembly represents a crucial opportunity for collaboration, reflection, and strategic planning as the project continues to pave the way for patient-centered clinical research and data management practices.
Stay tuned for updates on the outcomes and insights from this important meeting. Read more about the project.

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