Åpningsinnlegg på ND-partnerskapets årsmøte i Oslo 12. desember 2006

Av Statssekretær Rigmor Aasrud

Dear all,

It is my pleasure to open the third Partnership Annual Conference of the Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Wellbeing.

Three years have passed since the Partnership was established at a conference here in Oslo.

In Finland two weeks, the EU, Russia, Norway and Iceland endorsed a new Northern Dimension Policy Framework, and issued a political declaration on the Northern Dimension. With this, the actors re-confirmed their commitment to the Northern Dimension. It is a new framework, with new institutional arrangements. There is a new balance between the partners, and clearer priorities. One of the six priority sectors is “Social Welfare and Health Care, including prevention of communicable diseases and lifestyle-related diseases and promotion of cooperation between health and social services”.

The decisions from Finland tell this partnership to set full speed ahead!

The Norwegian Government has just launched its strategy for the High North. It is our most important strategic area in the years ahead, with rich fish and energy resources. The aim of our High North policy is to protect the environment, maintain settlement patterns and promote business development in the north. One of the basis elements to achieve these aims is a sustainable public health and social wellbeing in the region.

Let me also mention the EEA Financial Mechanism and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism. The purpose of the Mechanisms is to reduce social and economic disparities in the enlarged EU and EEA. They are important features to this partnership, and I see a potential for synergies between the Partnership and the financial mechanisms. The Partnership can stimulate development of sound project proposals, and funds from the financial mechanisms will help the projects become real.

However, as we all know, it is not only more money that is needed for the health sector to meet its future challenges. Putting expensive technology into an inefficient health system may do more bad than good.

Reforms, quality improvement and efficiency are important keywords to health policies in all countries.

We know the importance of a good primary health care before highly specialised treatment. Having a well-developed primary health care, where the patient gets all essential health care at the first point of care, by a well-qualified general practitioner is efficient, both in health and economic terms. It also relieves the burden on specialised hospital services.

We know the importance of prevention before treatment. Nothing is better than effective preventive measures, as it reduces morbidity and hence the need for expensive treatment.

We know a lot about factors leading to lifestyle-related diseases, such as tobacco, alcohol, unsound nutritional habits and physical inactivity. Reducing these factors has vast effects on public health and economy. Effects from improved treatment and care are low compared to the effects of efficient prevention.

We know that there are not only disparities between countries, but that the disparities within each country may be even bigger. And we know that preventive measures are the best way to address this. Reducing inequalities in health is a top priority for my Government.

We know all this. Yet, it is not that easy to prioritise primary health care before specialised services, structural reforms before new equipment, and prevention before treatment.

We face many of the same challenges, and many of the challenges have an international character. I believe that international cooperation and learning from each others experiences through meeting and working together on projects will help us learn how to best tackle the challenges. The partnership shall play an important role in coordinating and stimulating such international cooperation.

I notice that much effort has been spent on necessary formalities and the setting up of structures of the Partnership. However, I believe it now may become more vigorous, as the expert groups are re-vitalised, the database project is being launched, the project pipeline is established and an ambitious work plan is proposed.

With this in mind, I hope meeting in Oslo again for the first time after the establishment of the Partnership, may symbolize a closing of the circle, and that the partnership is ready for a take-off.