7 April Campaign: European Action Week against the Commercialisation of Health

Every year, the European Network Against the Privatisation and Commercialisation of Health and Social Protection organises a day of action on 7 April, World Health Day.

Over the past two years, the Covid-19 crisis has highlighted the shortcomings of our health systems. In this pandemic context, the imperatives of public spending restrictions, profitability requirements, commercialisation and privatisation of health have reinforced the glaring lack - already denounced well before the crisis - of human, material and financial resources. These conditions have had and continue to have deleterious consequences on health systems and on the health of populations.

Therefore, the Network is organising a European Action Week against the commercialisation of health, focusing on different themes.
On the one hand, access to vaccination, treatment and medical devices in a non-commercial way and open to all. The Network also actively supports the European Citizens’ Initiative which calls for the lifting of patents and the sharing of technology for anti-COVID treatments and vaccines.
On the other hand, the beginning of 2022 has also been marked by the abuses of the practices of multinational groups in terms of the reception and care of dependent elderly people highlighted in the media. The demographic trend towards an ageing population amplifies the risks of these commercial abuses and makes this issue crucial in all European countries. The commercialisation of health care for the elderly will also be at the heart of the campaign on 7 April.

In preparation for this week of action, the network organised two webinars "The commercialisation of health: The other pandemic? You can (re)watch the speakers’ presentations on youtube.

Programme of actions for the European week against the commercialisation of health :

• 31 March 2022 : Launch of the action week in Brussels (14:30-18:00)

European Parliamentary Conference (14:30-16:30)

The Commercialisation of Health: The Other Pandemic!
  Hosted by the European Network Against Commercialization of Health - Jan Schriefer (FNV)
  Are the elderly a commodity? The Orpea case - Fabien Boucquéau (CNE)
  Mapping the privatization of hospitals and institutions for the elderly in Europe - Sebastian Franco (GRESEA)
  Are workers just a production tool? -
Adam Rogalewsky, EPSU (European Public Service Union)
  The extension of commercialisation: the Flemish example - Dries Goedertier, ACOD
Dries Goedertier, ACOD
  And Europe in all this: a degradation actor? - Vicenzo Maccarrone, University of Dublin
  Is there a European approach to the commercialisation of health? -
Debate with MEPs

Press conference in the European Parliament (17:00)
Presentation of the avenues for action and the actions of the European Week against Commercialisation.

• 7 April 2022: World Citizens’ Health Day in Paris (11:00-22:00)

11:00: International press conference - At "La Base", 31 rue Bichat - Presence of delegates from the different organising countries and organisations supporting the European network’s initiative

2:30-17:00: Demonstration by health, social and medico-social workers - Departure: Place de la Bastille; Arrival: Place de la République

From 17:00 : Festive and protest moment - Place de la République - Speeches and street arts

!! This programme is likely to be updated: keep yourself informed regularly !!