Health is top concern, reveals survey

EU citizens believe health should be the target area for channeling aid to developing countries

22 September 2008: Not enough is being done to ensure that health issues in developing countries are prioritised by their leaders, according to EU citizens surveyed by Plan and its partners in the Action for Global Health network.

As European leaders gathered in New York for a central United Nations Millennium Development Goals meeting, Plan urged these leaders to act immediately in order to increase aid and improve the health conditions in the world’s poorest countries. 

Action for Global Health

Plan is one of 15 non-governmental organisations and charities that make up the Action for Global Health network. Current partners are based in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, the UK and Brussels and all are working on different aspects of health. As one collective voice, we are dedicated to ensuring the Millennium Development Goals targeting health issues are reached by the 2015 deadline.

Citizens’ voices

In a major survey of close to 5,000 citizens across 5 key EU countries – UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain - Action for Global Health has revealed that over 85% of European citizens believe that health should be the target area for channelling necessary increases in aid. 

EU commitments

Sending a clear signal to the European leaders gathered in New York at the UN summit, Deepali Sood, head of the Plan EU office said: “The EU has made several commitments to ensuring that every child has the right to go to school and that the poor have access to essential healthcare.”

With only 7 years until the deadline for meeting the Millennium Development Goals, the UN summit can be a turning point for world leaders to review progress and commit to concrete efforts, resources and mechanisms. By asking world leaders to announce their specific plans and proposals, the UN summit can prepare the ground for a decisive conference on financing for development in Doha in November.

Download the Global Health Survey (304kb | 22 pages)

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