EU institutions have agreed on a program for the prevention of diseases and the promotion of health systems worth € 5.1 billion, the press service of the European Parliament (EP) reported.
The EU Council and the European Parliament have reached an agreement on the EU4Health disease prevention and medicine development program worth € 5.1 billion within the budget for 2021-2027.
The program envisages the creation of an emergency stock of medicines, medical equipment, and a register of a reserve of medical workers for use in conditions of overloaded health systems, as it was at the peak of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring. Secondly, it will contribute to the creation of a pan-European medical database, the exact functionality of which remains to be determined.
Third, up to 20% of its budget should be used to boost EU work on disease prevention and health promotion for community citizens. Fourth, the program should help improve the preparedness of the health systems of the EU member states for future pandemics and counteracting new diseases.