SANTE report highlights: Health is a key prerequisite for social inclusion and economic stability.

Poverty and ill-health are closely interlinked: people living in poverty are more likely to face health burdens, while poor health reduces employment opportunities and entrenches poverty. Low-income households, migrants, older people, as well as residents of rural areas – who often have more limited access to healthcare – are particularly affected. The report “The role of healthcare in reducing inequalities and poverty in the EU”, published in September by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), underlines that health is a cornerstone of both social participation and economic stability.

Challenges and Inequalities

Disparities in healthcare provision within and between EU Member States are significant. In economically weaker regions, infrastructure and medical staff are often lacking. Financial barriers such as co-payments may lead individuals to forgo necessary treatment. Digital divides and geographical obstacles exacerbate inequalities. These not only reduce individual quality of life but also undermine social cohesion.

Health Expenditure as Investment

The report stresses that spending on healthcare must be understood as an investment in the future. Prevention, early detection programmes and health education can, in the long term, both improve quality of life and reduce costs within the system. Health systems based on solidarity financing contribute most effectively to promoting equal opportunities and enhancing societal productivity. They are therefore not only a tool to combat poverty but also a driver of economic stability.

Policy Recommendations

The authors advocate for strengthening public healthcare provision and specifically addressing barriers faced by disadvantaged groups. Mobile clinics, low-threshold services and language mediation can help to improve access. Moreover, health policy should be more closely integrated with social and labour market policies, as poverty reduction can only succeed through coordinated action across multiple policy areas.

Another priority is the improvement of data collection on health inequalities at EU level, to enable evidence-based decision-making. Stronger cooperation between Member States is also required, since challenges such as medicine pricing or shortages of healthcare professionals can only be addressed collectively. In this context, the European Commission has a coordinating role to play, fostering transparency and promoting solidarity-based solutions.

Health – A Common Good

The report concludes with an appeal to regard health as a shared European good. A fair, solidarity-based and preventive health policy can not only combat poverty but also strengthen citizens’ trust in European integration. Investment in healthcare should therefore be seen not as a burden, but as a prerequisite for social justice, economic resilience and social cohesion.