Health Access in Rural Areas : The need for a long-term vision in Europe

Accessing health remains a challenge in rural and remote areas in a context of a declining and ageing population, a lack of connectivity and infrastructure, as well as a low access to essential public services such as healthcare.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted these issues and emphasized the need to develop a long-term health access in rural areas vision, it has also brought additional light on emerging opportunities to achieve this objective. The digital transition provides numerous tools in that sense, such as the uptake of telemedicine and the upcoming European Health Data Space.

The European Commission’s Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas published on June 28, acknowledges the difficulties rural populations are facing, including those related to access to health, and aims at helping rural areas in overcoming these challenges by leveraging both the green and digital transitions.

In this context, this roundtable event will discuss how to improve access to quality healthcare and increase well-being in remote areas.

This event is co-organised by the All Policies for a Healthy Europe coalition and the RUMRA & Smart Villages Intergroup.

All Policies for a Healthy Europe is a multi-stakeholder initiative geared towards putting people’s well-being at the centre of all areas of EU policy-making. The coalition brings together a diverse group of NGOs, think-tanks, associations, companies, and individuals to support a healthy, climate-neutral and socially inclusive Europe.

The RUMRA & Smart Villages Intergroup promotes integrated development for European territories in all their diversity and enables exchanges on innovative ways to create vibrant and attractive rural communities. The Intergroup connects civil society organisations and policymakers, acting as the voice of rural communities to the European Parliament with the aim to strengthen integration and ensure a sustainable future for all Europeans.

ORGANISED BY: All Policies for a Healthy Europe and RUMRA & Smart Villages Intergroup