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Health

Issues surrounding healthcare in European states is of growing concern in today’s society: having the means to live a good quality of life and being able to take care of yourself and your loved ones is essential to well-being, not only in physical terms but also in terms of mental health.

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Health and access to healthcare in Europe however, are strongly determined by socioeconomic status, which puts the most socially disadvantaged groups in an unequal position. Access to health services can be significantly restricted or conditional, and the types of services provided may be inappropriate for some social groups. This situation is only worsening with the economic crisis where governments continue to make cutbacks on public health services and welfare in order to relieve pressure on growing debt burdens. According to the WHO (World Health Organisation), the right to health means that governments must generate conditions in which everyone can be as healthy as possible. Such conditions range from ensuring availability of health services, healthy and safe working conditions and nutritious food. It is important to note that the right to health has been enshrined in international and regional human rights treaties as well as national constitutions all over the world. Nevertheless, this right has not been (and is still not being) respected by many of the members states.

What is the solution then, or a remedy at the least? Below are presented actions/projects - currently running in different regions across European states – that could offer an alternative to people in crisis. These types of actions should be seen as an incentive for governments to promote and facilitate new paths towards enabling people their right to health.

Health.PNG (465.95 Kb) Pictures by Infirmiers de rue, Yvonne L.Sweden and Inkyhack

Preventing and informing

Health is not only about curing but firstly ensuring long-term individuals’ well-being by providing them with key information and training on their general condition to prevent diseases and health problems’ development. Youth education is key to adopt healthy habits at a very young age.
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Prevention and Health Education focuses on hygiene in the broad sense of the word:

  • Cleanliness: practice a set of cleaning processes to remove infectious microbes as well as dirt and soil (e.g. hand washing)
  • Dietetics and health food: educate individuals and groups on good nutritional habits (e.g. 5 fresh fruits and veggies per day).
  • Physical activity: encourage a daily minimum physical exercise (e.g. 30min of walk)
  • Ergonomics: focus on ways to improve working conditions and daily moves (e.g. 5min screen break every 45min of computer work)
  • Risk behaviour assessment: lower risk factors (e.g. non-alcoholic beer served during student festivals).
  • Screening test: doctor’s check-up regular visits (e.g. breast screening for women over 50)
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Sharing or pooling of resources

It has already been mentioned the fact that access to health services in Europe is not straightforward or legally ensured for all. With the current economic downturn, most governments have already decided to cut spending on social and public sectors – health especially is one of the sectors that has been targeted for cuts.
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Less affordable and accessible health services will inevitably mean increased inequalities across the continent. In response to the failure of some governments to cater to its peoples’ needs, certain initiatives have arisen that are making use of existing resources (i.e. medical, human, knowledge/skills, etc.). In Greece for example, a “Robin Hood” network of doctors created an underground movement providing free medical assistance to the unemployed and poorer civilians with no social security or with very little income. Much of the medicines used are donated.
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Policy reforms – good practice

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Policies that enable more equal access to healthcare services

  • Direct assumption of medical expenses for those with few resources (Luxembourg)
  • Abolishment of co-payments for persons of low-income (Spain)
  • Implementation of a maximum health bill and extension of the third party payer system for low-income households to tackle the barrier of pre-financing medical fees (Belgium, Luxembourg)
  • An agreementon cooperation between the Region and the third sector in the Skåne region (Sweden)

''The above bill by Sweden is particularly interesting since it illustrates the principle that in many members states the third sector and non-profit social service providers are public authorities’ partners that contribute to the definition, planning, implementation and evaluation of social policies and services. The parties involved in the cooperation agreement in Skåne see a particular value in the non-profit-distributing types of activities represented by non profit organisations. They clearly affirm that the aim of the agreement is not to reduce costs of social policies and services, but to contribute to opening up possibilities for ventures leading to increased participation and reduced isolation of the people living in that region. The Region commits to foresee adequate resources in the budget to support for coordination and development work of the non profit organisations involved in the agreement. Areas of cooperation include social enterprises, volunteering, public health, welfare development, culture. One of the objectives of the Region is to explore possibilities for other forms of operation through changed procurement procedure.

Examples of Actions and Policies

Below are listed all the examples of actions (in orange) and policies (in green) collected regarding access to Health

Rushey Green Time Bank

Auteur : Lorna Muddiman - Publié le : 2013-05-21 08:15 -
Picture courtesy of Rushey Green Time Bank

Time Banking is a community development tool and works by facilitating the exchange of skills and experience within a community. The Rushey Green Time Bank's vision is to achieve a cohesive community in the Rushey Green area, where neighbours know neighbours and can rely on each other for help and support. Where people of different ages, cultures, backgrounds and abilities interact with each other on an equal footing and with mutual respect and understanding.

Infirmiers de rue (Street nurses)

Auteur : Louise Hain - Publié le : 2013-05-13 08:58 -
Infirmiers de rue

Infirmiers de rue bridges the gap between the streets and health actors to bring care and hygiene to homeless people through an empowering method around people’s dignity, self-esteem and responsibility. Using hygiene as an entry point for self-recovery, the Association ensures long-term support until housing re-insertion.

Time Bank of Athens

Auteur : Lorna Muddiman - Publié le : 2013-04-18 13:02 -

The Athens Time Bank was created in May 2011, at Sydagma Square, when thousands of people gathered there to participate in mass strikes and demonstrations.

ADEVICO's workshops for responsible consumption

Auteur : Joël Obrecht - Publié le : 2013-03-08 00:10 -

How to be environmentally responsible and to save money in your consumer habits. Since 2008 ADEVICO, a French NGO, is providing an answer to this question by conducting workshops in which participants learn to make their own cheap and environmentally-friendly products.

How to set up a Timebank

Auteur : TOOLosophy - Publié le : 2013-02-28 15:07 -

Time banking is a p2p currency system where individual members exchange services on a voluntary basis with one another. Time banking values everyone’s time as equal. For every hour spent helping someone in your community, the contributor is entitled to an hour of help in return. The currency units are not money but hours of time spent by people on any type of labour (called a time dollar in the USA or a time credit in the UK).

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Dernière modification de la page : Jeudi 06 février 2014 08:54:36 UTC