| 08 Juin 2013
WHAT: The 8th Global Conference on Health Promotion opens in Helsinki, Finland on Monday 10 June 2013.
The conference is focused on the need to take account of health impacts in all public policies, whatever sector they originate in, from the earliest stages to mitigate health risks and improve people’s health. This approach is summarized as putting “Health in All Policies”.
BACKGROUND: In a rapidly changing and interdependent world, many countries are confronting the same challenges: ageing populations, rapid urbanization, rising public expectations for health care, soaring costs, and often widening gaps in income levels, opportunities, and health outcomes.
Governments have increasingly come to realize that the best way to achieve health, social, environmental and economic goals is by using synergies across sectors – for example, health and transportation, agriculture, education, employment and environment, to name a few.
In particular, the need for workable options in developing countries is vital, in view of weak physical infrastructures, inadequate supply of clean water and waste management, lack of social protection, over-emphasis on economic development and weak regulation for environment and human protection, as well as the limited capacity of health systems.
The conference uses concrete examples of country action to inform WHO Member States on how to engage key players within and beyond the health sector in a systematic way. The first ever practice-oriented guidance (Framework for Country Action) on how to implement Health in All Policies will be a product of the conference.
WHEN: Monday 10 June to Friday 14 June 2013
WHERE: Finlandia Hall, Helsinki, Finland
Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization, and Sauli Niinistö, President of Finland will make welcoming remarks during the opening ceremony at 09h00, local time, on 10 June.