European civil society organizations call for EU leadership on HIV/AIDS, TB and hepatitis C
34 European civil society organizations call on EU political leadership to urgently address communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and hepatitis C epidemics in the European Union and neighbouring countries.
A policy paper, Health matters: EU political leadership needed to end HIV, TB and hepatitis C in Europe, was issued listing a number of urgent actions the EU should undertake, bearing in mind the different situation and specific challenges of EU member states and their neighbouring countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Specifically, the paper called on the EU to:
- Develop an EU Policy Framework on HIV, TB & Hepatitis C for 2016-2020 addressing the specific nature of the epidemics in the EU & in the Eastern Partnership countries, including specific regional and sub-regional strategies to strengthen the political response to these diseases;
- Work together in the context of the upcoming EU Presidencies, notably the Netherlands, Slovakia & Malta to put the EU Policy Framework on the agenda and agree with Member States and Eastern Partnership countries on concrete regional strategies to address the three diseases;
- Set up mechanisms to ensure HIV/AIDS, TB & Hepatitis civil society and communities’ adequate and meaningful involvement in policy implementation, as well as cooperation among countries, civil society and international organisations.
Ultimately, the paper urges the EU to adopt as a matter of urgency a comprehensive Policy framework addressing HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Hepatitis C, if it aims to achieve the objectives of the Health For Growth Programme 2014-2020.
To view the policy paper, click here.
Source: TB Europe Coalition
