Protecting mental health and ensuring equal access to medicines were the key topics during the Health Ministers’ Council.
In Warsaw, Poland, the Minister for Health and Active Ageing, Jo Etienne Abela, is attending the meeting of the Health Ministers’ Council organised by the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Among the issues discussed were the protection of mental health care for children and young people and equitable access to medicines for all.
In his intervention on the protection of mental health in children and young people and the impact of social media, Minister Jo Etienne Abela said that for the Maltese Government, mental health protection and care is a priority and work is underway on various strategies and innovations in this area. He stressed that this should be a discussion that every European country places at the top of its agenda.
“In recent years, Malta has launched a number of initiatives to protect mental health, including the ‘Be Smart Online’ programme, ‘Child Web Alert Hotline’ and the national mental health helpline 1579. But this is not enough, and we are committed to continuing our work in this regard, including listening to young people and children themselves,” Minister Abela emphasised.
Regarding the issue of medicines, Minister Abela continued by echoing Prime Minister Robert Abela’s remarks in Brussels about the importance of ensuring access to all medicines at an equal price for everyone. He stressed that Malta will continue to advocate for fair access to medicines, ensuring that every Member State benefits from the advantages of the Single Market. He stated that the size of a country like Malta should not prevent it from accessing the benefits of the Single Market in an equitable manner.
“The health of the citizen is the reason behind these important meetings. Equitable and transparent access to critical medicines and the protection of the mental health of our young people are the cornerstones of our commitment and work,” concluded Minister Abela.
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