MEP Ondřej Dostál (NI, Czechia) and MEP Brando Benifei (S&D, Italy) signing the open letter

42 civic, patient and health professional organisations, supported by 5 MEPs from the two largest political groups in the European Parliament (EPP and S&D), have 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 Europe’s health workforce crisis to protect citizens’ right to health.

The letter urges Commissioner Várhelyi to prioritise the strengthening of the health workforce, recognising it as a cornerstone of equitable and effective healthcare systems across Europe.

The letter was signed by MEPs Brando Benifei (S&D, Italy), Ondřej Dostál (NA, Czech Republic), Loucas Fourlas (EPP, Cyprus), András Kulja (EPP, Hungary), Tomislav Sokol (EPP, Croatia) and associations from Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Spain.

The open letter has inspired the #CareForAll communication campaign, in which representatives from Active Citizenship Network and other partner associations across Europe - from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia and Spain – have lent their voices and faces to advocate for strengthening healthcare systems.

The #CareForAll communication campaign is part of a larger European project, realised thanks to the unconditional support of Pfizer, which included the organisation of formative sessions and experts’ meetings for civil society organisations (CSOs) and patient advocacy groups (PAGs) throughout 2024.

In the open letter, the MEPs and the undersigned associations call on the European Commission to:

1) Provide clear guidelines and support to Member States to address the current shortage of health workers, particularly in immunisation efforts.

2) Update university curricula to include comprehensive immunisation training, which is essential to address inequalities and ensure a consistent and effective approach across Member States.

3) Better allocation of resources to support continuing education and knowledge acquisition by health professionals, especially regarding the latest treatments and innovations.

Below is the list of signatory organisations:

NATIONAL CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS and PATIENT ADVOCACY GROUPS:

1. Lower Austrian Patient and Nursing Advocacy - NÖ PPA (Austria)
2. Patients' Organizations With you (Bulgaria)
3. Association of Reproductive Health, Pregnancy and Childcare "Smile" (Bulgaria)
4. Alliance of Transplanted and Operated ATO "Future for All" (Bulgaria)
5. Association of Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases (Bulgaria)
6. The Innovations Institute Founders (Bulgaria)
7. Bulgarian Association for Patients' Defence (Bulgaria)
8. Cyprus Federation of Patient Associations - CyFPA – OSAK (Cyprus)
9. Croatian Association for Patients' rights - CAPR (Croatia)
10. International Council of The Patient Ombudsman (Croatia)
11. INDECOSA-CGT (France)
12. Institute of Research for Innovation and Development – IMKKA (Greece)
13. Prometheus - Hellenic Liver Patient Association (Greece)
14. Irish Patients' Association (Ireland)
15. Tribunale per i diritti del malato (Italy)
16. IMPACT 2040 (Latvia)
17. Talented Borders (Latvia)
18. National Patients' Organisation (Malta)
19. Malta Health Network (Malta)
20. EPECS (the Netherlands)
21. Institute for Patients' Rights and Health Education - IPPEZ (Poland)
22. Azorian Association of Chronic Pain Patients - ADDCA (Portugal)
23. Portuguese Health Literacy Association - SPLS (Portugal)
24. National Federation of Chronic Disease Associations - FENDOC (Portugal)
25. Coalition of Patients Organisation with Chronic Disease (Romania)
26. Kultlab Celje Society – DKC (Slovenia)
27. The Slovenian foodbank - SIBAHE (Slovenia)
28. Association for Justice and Control (Slovenia)
29. Universidad del Paciente y de la Familia (Spain)
30. The National Federation of Associations ALCER (Association for the Fight against Kidney Diseases) (Spain)

EUROPEAN UMBRELLA PATIENTS’ ORGANIZATIONS:

1. European Liver Patients’ Association – ELPA
2. Digestive Cancers Europe - DiCE
3. European Coalition for People living with Obesity – ECPO
4. European Association for Educational and Preventive Health in Epigenetics – AESEP
5. International Patient Organisation for Primary Immunodeficiencies – IPOPI

HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS’ ASSOCIATIONS:

1. World Federation of Public Health Associations – WFPHA
2. European Specialist Nurses Organisation – ESNO
3. European Medical Association – EMA
4. European Union of Private Hospitals – UEHP
5. Federation of European Academies of Medicine – FEAM
6. European Scientific Working group on Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses – ESWI
7. European Geriatric Medicine Society - EuGMS

To download the letter, click here

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).

To view the communication campaign, click here