Strengthening health services, prevention and One Health approach: these are the three priorities of the G7 health in Italy illustrated by the Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci, on the occasion of the OECD Health Ministerial Conference in Paris on 22 and 23 January.
“The Italian Presidency takes up the baton of previous presidencies, in particular by continuing to address the fundamental theme of Global Health Architecture” said Minister Schillaci during his speech, recalling that the G7 health will be divided into numerous events with the first working groups in February to culminate in the meeting in Ancona next October.
“It is important – underlined Minister Schillaci – that after several years a conference of ministerial rank has once again placed the right attention on the topic of health which, I remind you, is an investment both in terms of well-being for the population and of social and economical. I found great interest in the G7 health and the issues we are called upon to discuss and manage: from strengthening the global health architecture, to strengthen services, to prevention to guarantee more years of healthy life. We shared the necessary centrality of the One Health approach for greater integration between human and animal health and environmental protection and the urgency of combating antimicrobial resistance. Other central issues that will see us involved concern digital health and artificial intelligence, tools with great potential to reduce inequalities and improve local assistance. We have important objectives ahead of us and we count on the support of our partners at the G7.”
The Minister also recalled the interventions and measures adopted in Italy to strengthen the national health service. “We are working – he explained – to build proximity networks with the aim of achieving effective integration between hospitals and local structures by redistributing resources and services according to the principles of appropriateness, patient centrality and continuity of care. Another component we have focused on is the need for greater innovation, research and digitalisation.”