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The government should take the initiative for an analysis and an action plan on how the state, regions, and municipalities together should achieve equitable health goals and reduce differences in living conditions. Write the members of the board of directors of the Healthy Cities network in Sweden.
Society’s decisions in recovering from the pandemic affect public health in both the short and long term, the article’s authors write.
This is a discussion post. Writers are responsible for opinions.
The corona pandemic has led to an increased focus on public health and the conditions in which we all live. Health differences between different groups run the risk of increasing and becoming permanent. To avoid this, in the Swedish Healthy City network we want the government to produce an analysis of how human health and living conditions have been affected by the pandemic and what measures are required to achieve health equality.
Healthy Cities Sweden It is part of a WHO project that involves local politicians from different parties. Healthy Cities is a global movement. The European Network strives to strengthen public health linked to the goals of the UN 2030 Agenda. More than 100 cities and regions are members, as are some 30 national networks.
More than a year has passed since the world was affected by the coronavirus and the WHO declared it to be a pandemic. More than 105 million people have been found infected in a total of 223 countries, and 2.3 million people have died from Covid-19.
The government’s goal is to close the impressionable health gaps in one generation. But the Public Health Agency report for 2019 shows that differences in living conditions not only persist but are also increasing. The effects of the ongoing pandemic are a painful reminder that this is so. People who are already in poorer health have been hit the hardest. People living in socially disadvantaged areas have been affected to a much greater extent than the general population, as well as those who for various reasons cannot work from home. Others have seen their businesses collapse when customers, visitors and guests are absent. The pandemic has also focused on gaps in care for the elderly that need to be addressed.
Now that vaccination has begun, it is time to start looking ahead and focusing on public health issues from a long-term perspective. It is time to take stock and prepare for recovery from the pandemic.
The government should carry out an analysis of how the public health and living conditions of the population have been affected by the pandemic. How are the people? Are there groups that have been more affected by the pandemic? How have children and their schooling been affected?
One concern is the effects of the economic recession created during the pandemic, with rising unemployment and thus more poor health among the weaker groups. Another is mental illness created by isolation, remote work, and distance education. At the same time, there are certainly areas that have been positively affected, such as digitization, the environment and the climate.
The government should take Initiative for an analysis and an action plan on how the state, regions and municipalities together should achieve the goals of health equality and reduce differences in living conditions as part of the recovery after the pandemic.
The starting point of Healthy Cities are the opportunities for municipalities and regions to reduce the gaps of influence in terms of social sustainability and good health. In other words, working for an egalitarian and egalitarian society where people live a good life in good health, without unfair differences.
The path options that Society in recovery after the pandemic affects public health in both the short and long term.
The common starting point for sustainable recovery must be good and equitable health for the entire population.
The Swedish Healthy Cities network board
Frida Trollmyr (C), President, City of Malmö
Camilla Neptune (left), Municipality of Lund
Ulf Hanstål (M), Västra Götaland Region
Monica Hanson (C), City of Trollhättan
Katerina Gustafsson (KD), Municipality of Falu
Fredrik Hansson (C), Municipality of Luleå
Irene Karlsson (C), Rod kommun
