There are some cases of pneumonia in Europe, we are following extremely closely but there is no reason to raise the alarm, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides said.

Briefing a group of Cypriot journalists in Brussels, the Commissioner pointed that “we need to look at health globally”.

Kyriakides also said that in early 2024 a cancer prevention package for vaccine preventable cancers would be announced. “We’re coming forward with a cancer prevention package for vaccine preventable cancers,” she said, adding that she had a meeting this morning on the issue.

“The aim is to increase the number of young girls across member states who are vaccinated with HPV to, I think, 90% increase, also increasing the number of boys and also vaccinating citizens against hepatitis”. So, she noted, “we’re coming forward with a proposal on smoke free environments, with a prevention package, in February, January, of the next year.”

She further referred to the comprehensive approach to Mental Health which is already being applied and is being made a priority as regards the holistic approach of mental health. This is another element added to our initiative to form the European Union of Health, she noted.

Kyriakides further referred to the 20 emblematic actions aiming at giving concrete results for the citizens, such as the support of the capability of the member states to incorporate mental health in their policies as well as work towards the prevention of mental health problems by promoting the European initiative regarding the prevention of depression and suicides.

The Commissioner made also special reference to the support of children mental health and also the support of people in vulnerable situations as the crime victims and young people with a cancer experience.