MEP Heart Group virtual meetingWednesday, 03 February 2021, 10:30 – 13:00 CET
The COVID-19 outbreak has put a sharp focus on the weaknesses of healthcare systems across Europe and generated an unprecedented strain on hospitals and healthcare professionals beyond the human aspects of the pandemic. There is a strong call for rethinking and re-creating healthcare provision, taking forward research and translating innovative solutions into practice to support patients and health professionals equally.
Evidence and data collected during the pandemic have shown that COVID-19 has had a significant impact on heart health and the delivery of cardiovascular care. Already before the outbreak, cardiovascular disease was the leading cause of death in Europe and the EU. More than 60 million people live with cardiovascular disease in the EU and nearly 13 million new cases of cardiovascular disease are diagnosed each year. The pandemic has aggravated this already grim scenario, also leaving many patients with new cardiovascular conditions after recovering from COVID-19.
While national governments are responsible for organising and delivering healthcare, the pandemic has demonstrated that health action and coordination at EU level can be a real game-changer for European patients.