Chair,

Director-General,

Excellencies,

Colleagues,

I have the honour of speaking on behalf of the European Union and its 27 Member States.

The European Union welcomes the report by the Director-General and the draft strategy on the Economics of Health for All. We thank the Secretariat for the engagement with Member States in their efforts in translating resolution WHA77.13 into a practical framework for action.

For the EU, the Economics of Health for All strategy demonstrates the importance of greater policy coherence across sectors. Health outcomes, sustainable economic growth, social cohesion and environmental sustainability are deeply interconnected.

Strong and well-functioning health systems are an essential part of inclusive and resilient economies. They can enable participation in education and labour markets for all, protect people from financial shocks, and strengthen social cohesion and trust. Fragile health systems, by contrast, undermine productivity, increase inequality and leave societies vulnerable both to poverty and to systemic shocks.

We therefore welcome the strategy’s strong emphasis on the whole-of-government approach, cross-sectoral collaboration and country leadership, in accordance with national context and priorities. We note that the strategy has been developed with due regard to guiding principles such as social participation, equity and gender equality.

It is important to stress that the strategy constitutes a voluntary menu of actions from which the Member States may choose those that respond best to their respective needs. We are convinced that the strategy can provide useful guidance for Member States to consider integrating health considerations into relevant public policies, and to demonstrate the value of health as an investment through improved evidence and well-being frameworks in accordance with national context and priorities. Strengthened dialogue across ministries, civil society, affected communities and the private sector, while making sure there are no conflicts of interest, will be critical for the success of this process.

To ensure success of these country-led processes, WHO has a crucial role to play. We welcome the Secretariat’s commitment to support Member States through guidelines, technical assistance and the facilitation of the exchange of experience across regions. We would welcome an additional opportunity for those Member States who have not been able to submit comments earlier to send written feedback before finalizing the text of the strategy.

With these considerations, the European Union and its Member States support the draft decision before the Board and look forward to working with the Secretariat and partners to advance an economics of health for all.

Thank you!