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Health: What does it mean to be truly healthy?

Health

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, health has been at the top of everyone’s agenda. The global pandemic is the number one topic in the news, in talk shows, on social media and amongst friends and families. Yet, vaccination, the availability of hospital beds, and cross-border cooperation on medical goods are only part of the story.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also severely impacted young people’s mental health and revealed a number of other issues. As such, the connection between human and planetary health and the need to address the biodiversity crisis in order to prevent future pandemics became apparent. Further, the pandemic fueled discussions around accessibility to (mental) healthcare, medication and vaccines, as well as the treatment of care workers.

What is most important to you when it comes to health? Do you want to give the EU a stronger role in the area of health or even see a genuine European Health Union? What do you think about preventive measures, such as access to unprocessed food, mindfulness training or sport facilities? Should they be subsidised, and if so by whom? What kind of healthcare system do you want? And what does it mean to you to be truly healthy? Tell us your ideas and help shape a healthy Europe together!

What people think

116 comments on Health: What does it mean to be truly healthy?
Tania  • 28 April 2021

To study better the social determinants and especially the social capital so then we can establish better politics tactics to promote health especially nutrition,physical activity, sustainable eating and argitucular practices... something like the program from Who "health 2020"

Carmen  • 11 May 2021

I think the EU should talk more about mental health and youth by approaching youth organisations ,providing interviews through youth platforms, etc so that they can really reach out to young people, not only talking about it through high-level events. Euro Youth Mental Health will always be happy to collaborate on that :)

Milton Delgado  • 14 May 2021

Checkup/physical incentives, preventative care is the single most health cost saving thing you can do. Many Europeans neglect their routine medical screenings due to a variety of factors, and people should be incentivized to obtain preventative care.

More investment into mental care, especially in Nordic countries with higher indexes of suicide, is also a great idea. This can include things like better access and further promotion of telemedicine therapy sessions and prescriptions, which are just as effective as in person treatment. (Turgoose, D., et al., Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, Vol. 24, No. 9, 2018)

Oskar  • 14 May 2021

Every year, Europe is getting older and still less newborns are born. Of our great concern should be families, who are expecting child. Current medicine treats fetus as an 'patient'. There are medical specialities like fetology or prenatal cardiology. That is why, not only women after delivery of a baby, but also pregnant women should be supported financially, especially these who are expecting child with congenital disease. In my opinion fetal medicine is our future challenge and we should provide better conditions for women during pregnany (e.g. monthly financial support). I have just shared my ideas with Polish government- they were perceived with interest. Hope to make some changes in the whole EU- not for me, but for our future society.

Alice  • 10 June 2021

The right to terminate a pregnancy should be guaranteed by the eu in all of its states.

Christ  • 10 June 2021

The EU needs a unionized healthcare system with a shared budget that all the member countries pay for it, by that we can ensure all EU citizens get access to great healthcare, whether the country is rich or poor and all the healthcare workers get good and equal pay.

Colhon silviu  • 13 June 2021
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We should have sex and drugs education in schools

Jenni  • 14 June 2021

Implement more information around mental health in all educational systems. And make sure each student will have an opportunity to find easily and comfortabily a person to speak with about sensible topics. Let schools provide the help students need today related to mental health!

Христо Илиев  • 14 June 2021

Let's make the EU a better place to live in with a better food on a lower price, this would change everyone's life and health. Everyone is complaining about eating rubbish nowadays, it's the government's fault they said, I hope there to be left at least one place on earth with real food - let that place be EU

Joana Matos  • 19 June 2021
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Create organic gardens in cities. Each autarchies shoul invest in creating green spaces where citizens can grow their own shapes. This would help several areas as:
— Envorimently tracking is great by promoting sustainable agriculture, by restricting pesticides and chemicals used and by reducing the need of transporting the interventions
— People ingest less chemicals that are harmed to health by eating organic food
— People have a place to distract themselves and be in contact with nature in the city, which can be a good step in promoting mental health

Joana Matos  • 27 June 2021

Create organic gardens in cities. Each autarchies shoul invest in creating green spaces where citizens can grow their own veggies. This would help develop different areas as:
- Envorimently speaking is great by promoting sustainable agriculture, by restricting pesticides and chemicals used and by reducing the need of transporting the aliments
- People ingest less chemicals that are harmful to health by eating organic food
- People have a place to distract themselves and be in contact with nature in the city, which can be a good step in promoting mental health

Vuillemot Rosalie  • 29 June 2021

Create recycling and compost systems at European level, so that each country participates as best as possible in the treatment of waste (for example sorting in bins different paper, glass, cans, and installing compost bins that can be used by town halls to garden public spaces). Set up waste sorting plants adapted to the new standards. Encourage recycling and give state aid to companies promoting it.

Szymon  • 02 July 2021

Restrain the number of abortion in EU.

Kaja  • 11 July 2021

Extra funding for mental health focused projects Students suffer from school related anxiety and depression. Also a lot of young adults have all sorts of eating disorders, source of which is rooted social media and social beauty standards.

Just a human  • 11 July 2021

I'd like EU treating elderly people equally with the younger population. It is a good idea to inform hospitals and health institutions and teach them somehow how to treat people no matter how old they are and nestle them sufficiently.

Elena  • 13 July 2021
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Greater focus on mental health. In particular, I believe that there should be more mention of it in order to prevent it from remaining a stigma. I also propose subsidies to cover the cost of treatment. I believe that it would be a good idea to create ad hoc sites in order to be able to seek practical help immediately, with available professionals, located in the area of residence of the person in difficulty. Finally, I believe that the employer must be aware of the difficulties of the person in question, and I propose that the worker be granted sick days.

Federico Zaglia
 • 14 July 2021
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— RIGHT TO HEALTH
— Cross-border cooperation;
— prevention (food education, lifestyles);
— equity and free of charge of care (public health service, not driven to the private sector)

Kerkhofs  • 14 July 2021
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A European health insurance that is affordable for all and very well controlled for abuse

Juan Enrique López Asensio  • 14 July 2021

We need to make sure that everyone has access to health care, regardless of their economical situation, people need to stay healthy. By definition, healthy means a good physical, mental and social goodness and in order to ensure that all the countries of the EU must work together and put pressure on private companies to guarantee that free access to all that services, through an European Health Union, for example

Ειρήνη Καραγιαννίδου  • 14 July 2021
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Self-therapy — health

Daniela G.  • 14 July 2021

I personally feel like the EU needs to urgently address its dependency on foreign countries for medicines, medical equipments and supplies.
Local chains of supply should be strengthened and subsidized. Possibly an EU-wide emergency back-up supply could be available.

Hanna  • 15 July 2021

Mental health matters. More space, support and treatmentpossibilities for people who have a mental health illness.

Marcel
 • 15 July 2021
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Mental and physical health should be on an equal footing. Like a general practitioner, everyone should have a home psychologist to whom they can go if they are mentally poor.

Marta Carriço
 • 15 July 2021
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— Development of subsidised programmes, mediated by health professionals (nutritionists, psychologists, etc.) which enable young people and seniors together and fight social isolation contributing for mental health, allow them to share cooking techniques for a healthy, affordable and sustainable diet; programmes are practised; low seniors to drink teachers/Tutors after school, allow young people to teach seniors to the other things related to food, exercise and stimulate learning outcomes out of their commission areas, etc.

Note: They are healthy is more than having no disease, it is important to have part of a community and adopt them for more quality of life and disease-free years.

Taina Berg
 • 15 July 2021
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Create a more holistic and inclusive health culture. Broaden the concept of ‘health’. There are many ways to be healthy. Young people die of being perfectionist. Strengthen mental health and explain that life is not something that needs to be cured, but managed and lived. Failure is vital, in particular for a fulfilling life;

Lorenzo Minio Paluello  • 16 July 2021
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The European Union should create a database of health data at continental level to facilitate the statistical analysis of health data and the development of solutions that are tailored to changes in patients’ mental and physical health, possibly supporting the use of new technologies (such as artificial intelligence applied to diagnostics or telemedicine).

Louis Le Guyader  • 19 July 2021
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As we are still going through the COVID-19 crisis, we need to improve the health system of all European countries. More specifically, social security. It is already captured in some countries, and is almost non-existent in others. Reducing the gap in social inequality in the EU would require social and equal security for all, even in the wealthiest countries in Europe. To reduce medical costs and improve health!

Julia
 • 12 August 2021
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The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that dealing with mental health problems is a luxury that not many people can afford in times of crisis. The continuing uncertainty we have since 2020 is compounded by the uncertainty of climate change. I therefore see a need for the European Union to promote a pact for mental health so that this issue is dealt with with its importance. From treating mental health in schools and teaching children how to treat it, recognising the groups most affected by this crisis and offering psychological support to subsidising part of the treatment and therapy and adding more psychologists to the public health system.

Visinescu Adelina  • 25 August 2021

People with a stronger immunity are less likely to experience a severe COVID-19 impact. Therefore, it is essential that one should strengthen their immune system by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
One effective solution in this respect would be to keep gyms open 24/7 since today’s hectic pace has led to the disruption of sleep patterns and hence the millennials have become a type of “night owls”.
Since heavy smokers are more prone to developing lung complications as a result of contracting the Covid-19 virus, the authorities should organize campaigns aiming to raise awareness about the health hazards of smoking. Consequently, smokers can even receive assistance to gradually reducing the number of cigarettes until they manage to give up their harmful vice
In addition to this, efforts should be made so as to support those suffering from compulsive eating disorders that usually lead to becoming overnight and therefore, less resistant to diseases.

Sandra  • 30 August 2021

If we want to keep democracy, as a society, we need to stop promoting narcissistic people, including giving them attention, opportunities and money. We should make narcissistic abuse illegal by law, and it needs to be taught in high schools. Relationships with narcissistic people negatively affect peoples mental health and destabilise relationships on the micro and destabilise the whole society on the macro.

Sandra  • 30 August 2021

What kind of healthcare system do I want? I want more of a preventive healthcare system. Once a year every person should be able to get a full body check up.

Maeva  • 03 September 2021
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Ban the drying and use of glyphosate in the European Union (likely to be carcinogenic). Eat healthy in a healthy body.

Judith  • 06 September 2021

There should be an european registry for cases of illnesses. So far, no one really knows how many people die from eg. certain forms of cancer every year or if some treatments make other illnesses more likely to appear later. We also don't know eg. if certain forms of cancer appear especially in certain regions. This is knowledge that could help science to find cures or even prevent some illnesses from appearing in the first place.
It's clear that such a registry can only be realized in anonymity for the patients. Therefore it is essential to include certain general health parameters such as weight/ BMI, lifestyle, etc. in order not to confuse illnesses with lifestyle related problems.

European Allergy and Asthma Youth Parliament  • 06 September 2021

Environment: Address health effects into climate action

We are the European Youth Parliament on Allergy and Asthma, and as young people living with chronic disease we want a future Europe that protects health and addresses our wellbeing. We are increasingly concerned about global trends impacting our lives. The climate change crisis is tangible and has adopted the shape of catastrophic floods, heatwaves and dryness over Europe, and extended pollen seasons. Evidence shows that these climate hazards not onlytake a large toll on Europeans, but also lead towards worsening disease symptoms, daily life limitations, and higher medicine intake. What worries us most is that such risks are foreseen to continue, our quality of life can drop dramatically, with potentially fatal events in a few decades.
We need the EU to strongly include health in climate change adaptation policy, guide Member States in their climate action at national and local level, and improve the communication around climate change. We also ask to clearly stating the tangible and quantifiable effects it has on people: because we know it is affecting us, the young allergy and asthma patients.

European Allergy and Asthma Youth Parliament  • 06 September 2021

Health: Bring the European Health Union to reality for better health
We are the European Youth Parliament on Allergy and Asthma, and as young people living with chronic disease we want a future Europe that protects health and addresses our wellbeing. We have felt left alone during the coronavirus pandemic. Our chronic disease has determined how fragile and vulnerable our lives are: disrupted access to healthcare systems, no structured information, extreme caution around vaccination and side effects given our allergic background. Our diseases have no cure yet, but there are brilliant researchers and academics that want to give their minds to investigate how to better help us. Europe has a great research potential to advance our knowledge on chronic diseases such as allergy and asthma, and we would love to see that potential materialise. Revolutionary medical advances need more European investment, cooperation and more integrated healthcare systems that will lead to better epidemiology knowledge, in-depth trials, faster innovation, and better access to treatment and care. Examples of this :
- 1) establishing European Centres of Excellence for specific diseases, such as allergy,
- 2) developing EU patient registries for challenging diseases such as severe asthma.

European Allergy and Asthma Youth Parliament  • 06 September 2021

Digital: Patients needs should be the centrepiece in digital healthcare
We are the European Youth Parliament on Allergy and Asthma and as young people, our lives have been shaped by the ongoing digital transformation. While so much is becoming digitalised to make our lives easier, when it comes to healthcare digital access is falling behind. The pandemic has enabled digital use in healthcare, however young patients who like me live with chronic disease want to see digitalisation continue to facilitate and improve access to care. We want a future Europe that utilises video consultations with doctors across countries, that develops tools that helps manage our treatment and diseases, and allows digital health records and EU-wide electronic prescriptions to be accessible, and protected. This way, young people can feel confident to work and travel across borders with the safety that their healthcare remains accessible and allows care in person. It is still vital that digital care does not replace in-person care and does not leave behind those who lack access to digitalisation. Therefore, the EU should work to foster digital literacy and lessen technical administrative burdens to reduce social inequalities.

European Allergy and Asthma Youth Parliament  • 06 September 2021

Society: Health-in-all EU policies to prevent social exclusion
There remains a lack of awareness of what young people who live with allergies or asthma face while maintaining an education, social life, and entering the workforce. This lack of understanding leads to trivialisation in society with consequences such as social exclusion for young people living with chronic disease. Young patients cannot partake in the same activities as their peers; green spaces such as parks, education buildings, public transport, and even cafes and restaurants are not designed to consider risks posed to people living with allergies and asthma exacerbated by indoor air pollution or pollen. It also creates an economic burden as many allergy-related costs are not covered by most insurance plans, which means young people are either economically reliant on their parents or can suffer form absenteeism at school if they are from a low socioeconomic background, impacting their education and therefore their future.
We want to see an EU that takes a health-in-all-policies approach to improve the quality of life for young people with chronic disease while addressing issues such as the environment, social inclusion, and education. That way, we can make public spaces fully accessible by not endangering those with allergies and asthma. Practical solutions include guidelines for allergy and asthma friendly cities that the EU could develop with member states; training for city planners to understand impacts on health including for allergy and asthma sufferers; and awareness-raising at all levels including policymakers, healthcare professionals, and in schools for teachers and students.

Despoina Panteli (YEA)  • 09 September 2021

Mental health is a topic that has been/is a taboo in several circles. As a society we tend to focus much on functionality and not actual health, with the individuals feeling pressured to perform and setting performance as their goal instead of a healthy mental state.
Many individuals believe that their problems cannot be compared with the ones of others and thus no immediate attention should be given to them and no therapy is needed.
In reality though every feeling and problem is legit and should be handled with care and attention.
In order to overcome this problem of not feeling like a problem that one has is important enough, I believe that the provision of psychologists in schools, universities and the workplace, with no long waiting time to get an appointment is crucial. If we make the process of getting help easier and quicker, it would ease the internal struggle that many people have, feeling like they are depriving others of this opportunity.
So in my opinion it is important to recruit more mental health professionals and make therapy more accessible to everyone by making it free of charge and easy to book for the individuals.

Patrynia
 • 11 September 2021
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Compulsory private healthcare should be introduced in Poland. On average, the current system leads to a queue of 200 days waiting for a visit to a specialty. NFZ doctors treat you as zero, don't want to work, and they are not forgotten because they don’t get the money! But every citizen pays them! Because everyone pays the taxes on which they are paid. It is completely inverse for private doctors. In turn, you don’t want to follow. That is why I believe that it is better to privatise all healthcare so that every doctor starts to appreciate his or her work and earns in line with his/her knowledge and skills. In order to avoid inflated prices on health-related packages, as is the case in the US, top-down caps on insurance premiums should be imposed.

Luis Miguel Flores Román  • 12 September 2021

The health system is saturated and the population does not know how to prevent or combat the disease. We have more access to information than ever before, and yet our society has proven to be illiterate in terms of health. An example of this are the waiting lists and the overconsumption of drugs, intended to alleviate the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle, marked by sedentary lifestyle and obesity.

A program in "Health Education" would help the prevention and self-management of diseases, improving the health of society without making it dependent on the health system. This program should address all the biopsychosocial spheres of the human being from the roots, being implemented in schools and putting the focus on future generations.

A healthy society goes beyond the absence of disease. True health consists of longevity and vitality.

For a healthy Europe.

Nataliya Tereshchenko (YEA)  • 14 September 2021

Covid-19 pandemic and the following lockdowns have caused emotional and psychic distress in society. It is known that social distance, home office conditions, and the psychic complications after being infected by the virus have led to depression, anxiety, domestic violence, etc.

Psychotherapy is an effective practice to treat various mental health issues. Before the pandemic, only 1/4 of people were referred to mental health specialists while experiencing mental health problems. Psychotherapy methods have been adapted to the online settings during the pandemic and showed to reduce the stigma of receiving therapy.

It is of importance for the EU to contribute to the mental health of its citizens and make psychotherapy available for everyone. This is the right time to adopt the Psychotherapy Act by the EU, which was proposed by the European Association for Psychotherapy to ensure the standardization of the profession. Furthermore, to enlarge the possibility to obtain the insurance money for the psychotherapeutic sessions by the national authorities.

Virgil Florinescu
 • 15 September 2021
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A health reform that could also involve patients because a health system is built for the patient. But first and foremost a massive investment in health infrastructure, which can add value to society even in the long term, as it creates jobs and money that circulates in the economy. In addition, a healthy population is more active and can mean more spending through various activities. Investing in sound health infrastructure can therefore also be an investment in the economy.

Diaconu Victor  • 15 September 2021

moving ingredients from back to front for all food products to increase health of eu population, and increasing text size of ingredients written an all food product packages!

Nicolae constantin
 • 15 September 2021
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In order to ensure quality medical services for all EU citizens, an EU-wide system using artificial intelligence (AI) should be implemented. Increasing medical services using AI will give all citizens equal opportunities for treatment. The technology exists, it just needs to be implemented! Until then, it matters a lot where you live.

Mircea Postolache  • 16 September 2021
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Reduction of funds for researchers that do not add real value. Confirming the existence of a particle at CERN costs enormously and does not bring anything new, as the particularity is already theoretical, but the experiment costs enormous this time. As well as research on migration to the cosmic space, a lot of money, more than questionable results. The
proposal is that part of the funds will be redirected to medical research as a matter of urgency. The pandemic has all told us the level of our medical knowledge. Idem for other serious illnesses such as autoimmune diseases, but also for more serious problems such as acnea or calvine.

Monika Janiec-Mateja  • 16 September 2021
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Changing the way in which schools are seated. A continuous seat in benches harms the spine (lumbar section) – also because the body develops in children. Instead of chairs, embankments, children, let’s go to lesson, knee or lying on the floor, sofas in classes

Monika Janiec-Mateja  • 16 September 2021

Better food/ organic food at schools- wherever it is possible a school garden. Pupils can grow their own food

Alice
 • 16 September 2021
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In each restaurant, at least 1/4 of the menu should include vegetarian dishes.

Sylvia
 • 16 September 2021
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In schools, extra classes about dredged breakfasts, etc., it is worth eating to ensure your well-being with a healthy bone and resilience, etc.

Adam
 • 16 September 2021
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In the context of health care, any citizen should be able to locate a health account on which to pay money and who would work for investment and may receive health assistance in cases of an additional health package, and the extraordinary social tax needs from a tax should also be invested and, therefore, the deposit would increase over time.

Maggy  • 17 September 2021

Lat pandemic has shown us how important it is to be able to produce necessary drugs within the EU and not rely on components from India or China just because producing them there is cheaper. EU should create incentives for pharmaceutic companies to locate production [not only confectioning] facilities within the EU. Necessary regulations should take into consideration not only mandatory costs of such relocation but also benefits for EU citizens. There is no better way of assuring uninterrupted supply of necesary drugs than to produce them on own grounds.

Madleen Fontaine  • 18 September 2021
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I have an idea about guardians/parents of children with disabilities, or even just all people with disabilities, for those who have concerns or lack of knowledge of how to take care or help, it would well be that there is a platform to help them find the best approaches adapted to disability, be it through brochures, forums, of course for any disability. I would also like it to serve as a preventative tool, if we talk about this platform in universities, in every group that is best placed to have children, hospitals, etc. In fact, I want something that can make it possible to realise that we are not alone, that there is full help, other people living in the same situation, and that you can very well live with disability. I have the impression that the ‘sector’ is too closed for the time being, I find that there is a lot of resources that can help, but not enough promotion of its resources.

Dumitru Balmez  • 19 September 2021

For a healthy population, 4 elements need to be stressed: sleep, food, sun and sport. Let's learn this is schools.

Julia  • 21 September 2021
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I would like to see a sports psychologist and physiotherapist available in sports centres, gymnastics, youth nurseries, rehabilitation centres and similar facilities to support the movement and activity of both people with reduced fitness and fitness, who could holistically support the development or return to physical and mental health by addressing the devastating consequences of the pandemic. It is worth talking more and more about the psychological side of sport and activity and its enormous impact on everyday life.

Julia
 • 22 September 2021
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Hello,

And would like to encourage people to more healthy eating by the a lot of advertisements on the internet and to facilitate them by the creation of the global company which produces foods that people could create easy and fast Meals. People usually don’t have time to prepare Meals at home after work or don’t like cooking, waiting for the rice or broccoli until it will be ready. They are hungry and don’t want to wait and they eat some not healthy foods. Some would prefer to spend time in other way than to cook. They would like to learn something or spend time with relatives, family or have have more time for kids.
And thought about company which would cook fresh rice, barley, lentils, potatoes and vegetables that need to be COOKED only with small bit of salt. Than people could create their own Meals on the base different Recipes, adding their species, sauces and herbs and have a fast, delicious Meals. The company would have some stores all around world and people could order it through the application and could expect fast delivery. The unsold foods could be used to produce pastas, sauces, fermented yogurts from wheat, rye, rice, peas, chickenpeas and other or sold as biofuels or fertiliser.
The company could create some devices that used the warm during cooking to create the energy.
And be like to produce chocolate and others simple sweets without refined sugar any added sugar like Stevia, erythhol, aspartame or other sweeteners. They all are unhealthy for people. Instead I would like to like to use for example Grounded fig, dactyles powders from them, apple, pears, grapes and other very sweet fruits, lucumas and other plants which are natural sweet.
And like to produce yogurths from chickenpeaa, lentils, peas, rice and others for the people who can’t eat cow milk and are Lactose and caseine Intolerant.

Matthias Köster  • 23 September 2021

Encourage Interdisciplinarian, transcultural information for all youths all across Europe as practical and Evidence-based as possible -

together with a core research procedure that helps to tell every young person (and his family - and his school /teachers) where they stand in terms of mental health, food-, exercise-, social competency/performance -

so much so that the evaluation in itself is transformative and informative for pupils/students and leading to the changes desired -

for these transformative processes policy and research have to start a participative, interdisciplinarian and concrete stance including in their finance allocations of what is the core of importance for the youth mental and social health / well-being across Europe and create a data set that drives purposeful actions - so a big data process by and for the European people - happily shared with everyone across the world .

give youth a share in the finance allocation processes of national policies and research - thus transforming policies and research in itself and our citizens ...

so put simply: politics and research can start to show endeavours to change behaviour across the disciplines and party lines looking towards the generations in the future = being sustainable through that and showing participative leadership now and here

Marcin
 • 23 September 2021
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15 % of GDP for health investment – spectrum.
Psychiatry-endocrinology/SPA/work on the human brain

Karolina Wzorek  • 23 September 2021

I would like to see the total ban on smoking in the UE. Smoking kills more innocent people than covid-19 but it is still allowed and ignored.

Malwina
 • 23 September 2021
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EQUAL access to medical therapy in all EU countries.

pora  • 24 September 2021
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Why label Bio a product that is natural and does not put anything on products containing substances harmful to health?
In my view, if a product contains substances which may harm my health, that should be indicated instead of the term bio on products which do not contain it.

In my surroundings, many too many people do not grasp what Bio represents and treats it as genetically modified in laboratories, and this creates the opposite effect.

Piotr  • 24 September 2021
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1) Enabling, as part of eHealth, full health monitoring, including wearable computing (sensory according to ISO 11073) – not as a private service, with non-transparent data protection rules, but as a public service. However, prevention is always cheaper than later treatment.
2) Use of a block chain to track from farm to fork all food ingredients, e.g. purchased prepared meals (
3) ingredients and preparation methods for all food products available in the central EU database, based on EAN from packaging.

Traian  • 24 September 2021

Sanatatea se mentine din faza de conceptie, de la Parinti Sanatosi, fara Boli Ereditare, transmisibile . Sportul trebuie sa fie Prioritar de la cele mai fragede varste. Scoala trebuie sa respecte potetialul fizic si psihic al copilului. Locurile de munca trebuie sa respecte Normele de Protectie a Muncii.

Bohdana  • 25 September 2021

Medical services should be more or less on the same level in all the EU countries. Same with medical expenses. Insurance policies should be synchronized.
So far, they are clearly not. For example, in Ireland to get an MRI scan you have to wait for about 4-6 months which makes no sense if you have an injury while in Germany you can go to a hospital and get operated on right away without prior scheduling.

Solomon Manea  • 26 September 2021

I want an european pharmacy bank where every citizen can order a sinus normal flora or a colon normal flora (differentiated on age and gender), to help those who lost them and got sick. Is like a guarantee to normal health. This will be in the interest of everyone and will help those with overweight issues and other more serious health problems. The prices should be accessible even for those with low income. This will help with age health issues and overall happiness of Europe.

IONEL STANCU  • 26 September 2021

Recognize the importance of mental health and make it part of national health strategies and insurances - from early ages to old age. Support the coverage of specialized mental health services and integrative psycho-social approaches in all major areas of life - education, work, family assistance etc.

Octavian  • 26 September 2021

Access to the most innovative therapies and drugs on the international market and more money directed to research, as there are quite big differences among European countries and people should benefit of the best possible treatments leading to improved standards of living for the people in need as well as for their families/friends.
As there is already the European Medicines Agency dealing with authorizations of below mentioned, i would suggest a bigger power in relation to the member states under the form of reccomendations.
Governments around Europe are very different and the priorities are not the same, however if there would have been an official reccomendation from the EMA submitted to each member state containing the new therapies/drugs appeared, maybe governments would allocate more money and attention to this aspect.
Furthermore, if we take a look on the news regarding medical research, the main focus is in the US, less in Europe. Maybe this sector needs a bigger budget resulting into greater outcomes in the end by: better treatments, higher standards of living for EU citizens and of course profits for the companies that will produce them inside EU.

Response to Octavian by Yahya Yacoob  • 27 September 2021

I believe its a great idea and all the EU can benefit from it from different sectors

Ntounta
 • 27 September 2021
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For an ideal health system, I believe that the European Union must put in place practical and theoretical plans, i.e. to make clear seminars for everyone’s understanding, for example, we all know that tobacco is fatal, but despite this people are buying the effects of ecrit tobacco on each card, I think more of mobilisation and more about the dangers will be better, we are going through a very difficult period since 2019, the world is affected by covid 19, which has caused many deaths and a very high unemployment rate. we all want to return to a normal life, but how can we try to get it back? and this is what the vaccine intervenes, many people hesitate to get vaccinated, take action on the vaccine, explain why, the pros and cons will attract people to get vaccinated without being forced to do so, and this will reduce not only cases of covid19 but also the mental disorders that several young people have already suffered since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Elena Barboi Yar  • 27 September 2021

Goverments should apply at least 10 sesions of pshichoterapy for free for each citizen.

Elena Barboi Yar  • 27 September 2021

There is a medicine Zolgensma which is the only medicine for stopping muscles from getting damage. Cost for Zolgensma is 2.5 milions dollars. It s almost impossible for people to save their children s life because of this huge price. Children are living only few years and they finnish by losing ability to walk, play, kip their head up and breathing. Everything while they understand exactly what s happening with them because brain is working normal.
Please find a way for goverments to be forced to pay for this medicine in order to save children s life.

Peri Mikayelyan  • 27 September 2021

Nowadays people are living inactive/sedentary life that negatively affects their health. Many of them neglect the importance of physical activity and sports. It would be beneficial to establish higher standards of physical education at schools to nurture qualities that relate to general athleticism. Kids who have developed general athleticism through participation in multiple sports may begin to narrow their sports selection at later stages and continue enjoying their favorite sports throughout life.

Elena Yar  • 27 September 2021

Hello
There are too many children with autism. Treatments, theraphy are very expensive and parents (or single mothers) are making huge efforts to pay for them. Without money they cannot recuperate childrens abilities. Society shall have a huge improvement by saving autistic children because they are very good persons, very smart, talented and their inteligence in more than average. Please make goverments to pay for this treatments.
Thank you

Stanisław  • 27 September 2021
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Blood donation in Europe.
Systematise and mutualise rules in the blood donation system in Europe.
The introduction of a European Blood Passport – proof of multiple
donations – uniform rules and regulations to simplify and spread blood donations in all Member States;
Discounts and prizes* for deserved blood donors to motivate and encourage the donation of blood and blood components;

*e.g. discounts on public transport, air tickets, services; Partner programmes – discounts in shops, services.

Joni Diasamidze (Young European Ambassador)  • 28 September 2021

Since beginning of Covid-19 pandemic everyone was waiting for invention of a vaccine, because it is meant to be the only way of returning to the normal, pre-Covid life. We now have several types of vaccine, but there are people, so called anti-vaxxers, who oppose the vaccination.
In my country, Georgia, anti-vaxxer movement is quite strong. In many cases the cause of this is lack of knowledge. Many people think that vaccine is dangerous. I think local authorities should organize events, online meetings, advertisements to raise awareness about covid-19 vaccination and its benefits. They could invite professionals and have them explain to people that vaccine is not danger, it is the only choice if we want to end pandemic.

Mohammed Nur e zannat  • 28 September 2021

I think we should have " European Health Organization" in every EU country. Who will work and develop to help every EU country for any upcoming pandemic or any current catastrophes.

One more Idea is that we should have that kind of facilities in every stadium if any pandemic happened in future.

Horatiu Neagu  • 28 September 2021

There are still countries in the EU in which the consumption of Cannabis is considered a crime and people who use it are being persecuted. Union-wide decriminalization of growing for personal use is nothing except common sense in a civilized society. The benefits this would bring to public mental health during the Pandemic are enormous and self-explanatory in the 21st century.

Athena Fachin  • 28 September 2021

Covid19 is showing us the importance of mental health, not only for oldest people, but also for children. We should focus on elaborate programmes in school, in order to make children more attentive about their emotions. The future generations need to learn , understand and control their feelings and even more important , they must be comfortable with the fact of talking about them.

Joni Diasamidze (Young European Ambassador)  • 28 September 2021

It would be great, if there was an online forum for students who are leaving secondary school and going to university, where they would ask questions about anything related to academic studies in any European university and they would get answers directly from students of these universities, not from universities themselves.

I think students have better experience and can provide real, accurate information to interested people about their universities.

Csaba Mako  • 29 September 2021

Help and promote alternative medicine like acupuncture and homeopathy.

Konstantinos Stamoulis  • 29 September 2021

I think it is necessary for the EU to have a stronger role in educating young citizens in health.Especially in simple areas such as the importance of sleep,having a balanced diet and the long term effects of substances use(alcohol,nicotine) at a puberal state.

Lastly i think it is crucial to ban caffeine drinks of 150mg and above at an age younger than 16 years old.

brochard  • 29 September 2021

Legalise assisted suicide

Catarina Elias  • 29 September 2021

We should switch the focus to prevention (specially when talking about chronic disease) instead of trying to managing/treat illness when it's already in an advance state. Not only the cost of prevention is lower but also the pressure on the health system would be more manageable.
One of the measures that should be put in place as to do with the need of dietists/nutritionists in schools . Children with obesity are more probable to become obese adults. School is the place were children to young adults pass the most of their time so it's the perfect place to gain more knowledge about food/nutrition as well as having the possibility to have a specialized health professional that could answer their questions. Malnutrition can lead to several health problems that can be prevented if one adopts a healthy diet.

Philippe Beraud  • 29 September 2021

Encourage a healthy life style rather than the medical insdutry. Active transport (walking, cycling etc), healthy food (organic and local), mental/emotionnal health through positive communication, meditation, time off work to do what one loves etc.

Laimis  • 29 September 2021

Transform as much car roads in cities to bike roads, and parking lots into parks, for eastern europe make the roofs of the soviet blocks into comunity areas and cover all the gray walls with vines and greenery

Marius Balan (Young European Ambassador)  • 29 September 2021

Given the context of the Covid-19 pandemic and some inefficient measures taken by governments all over the world, some days ago I thought about a different restriction that could be enforced and would be efficient against the spread of the virus between school pupils and students. What if the first two weeks of the semester, all classes took place online? I am not a specialist in this field but in my mind this makes sense because that would be some kind of "quarantine" for the young people whose summer break just ended, who just came home from overseas, and who have been going out and partying in unsafe environments where no measures are respected. This two weeks would be beneficial because the people who are infected will already be home, without having spread the virus to their classmates and friends.

Bekkhan Umarashvili- Young European Ambassador  • 30 September 2021

Reproductive and Sexual Health Education

The high number of scientific and social researches suggest the importance and necessity of Sex Education at secondary schools. Teenagers at a young age are in need to get the right information about the issues corresponding to sexuality. In some communities’ issues linked to sexuality are tabooed and people don’t speak them out loudly, besides that teacher at schools just leave behind the topic of sexual education and don’t discuss with students. Due to this fact lots of teenagers are in danger of sexually transmitted infections, chronic health problems.
One of the challenges to implementing Sex education at secondary schools is a lack of teachers who possess the necessary knowledge and training to teach appropriate and correct information on sexual and reproductive health. Additional barriers include opposition from cultural and religious leaders in some communities, as well as the absent or inadequate linkages between sexual and reproductive health education and general health or other relevant services.

Adrian Zamfir  • 30 September 2021

A good educational ideea can be mandatory basic nutrition classes in schools.
Today we can see everyday and everywhere so many kids and adults affected by obesity and diabetes.
They lack basic knowledge of nutrition. They do not know what they put in themselves (food and drink) , but they learn in schools other things they will never meet or use like periodic table of elements , radicals , historical dates , geographical areas they will never see etc.
Basic nutrition is simple and is about six major nutrients: Carbohydrates (CHO), Lipids (fats), Proteins, Vitamins, Minerals, Water.
Nutrition education must be a vital part of a comprehensive health education program because can empowers children with knowledge and skills to make healthy food and beverage choices. Making opportunities for nutrition education in schools is very important if we want healthy people inside E.U.

Paweł
 • 30 September 2021
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Support for psychiatry and child psychology across the European Union

Albotă  • 30 September 2021
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Pupils from the primary, Gimnaziala, high school and university school to receive fruit, BIO snacks and water during the courses to have promoted a healthy lifestyle. The health of young people and beyond is the most expensive resource of mankind.

Patricia  • 01 October 2021

Improving the health system processes during pandemic. The whole Covid procedure in Bulgaria is not thought true in my opinion. The GP doctor's should be removed or restructured where they are needed most. Because once a person is put under quarantine because of Covid, it's really hard getting medical assistance at their home. We need to think about that, as well as phone consultations being not enough, the online prescriptions given by the doctors are not recognized by the online pharmacies, hence a sick person can not get the medicine he/she needs, while being in quarantine.

Maciej
 • 01 October 2021
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The topic of abortion generates many controversies and disputes. This seems to be an indisputable problem, as one party regards abortion as the murder of a child conceived and the other as a woman’s right to decide on her body. An artificial elbow could be an ideal solution to this problem. Compared to a traditional incubator, artificially reproducing the conditions in a natural ice and the child would not have to breathe it alone. This would allow a child with a much lower seal age to develop in such a device than a traditional incubator. A woman with unwanted pregnancies could put the child into an artificial elbow where she could develop safely while waiting for adoption. I would like to start working on this invention, which could end the philosophical war around abortion.

Dan Iliescu  • 01 October 2021
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In order to ensure the fairness of health services in Europe, any medical treatment/medicinal product must be in the purchasing power of the majority of citizens. Otherwise, it discriminates strongly. The EU institutions should regulate prices so that pharmaceutical firms are not enriched at the expense of citizens or Member States’ budgets.

PANAGIOTA PARASKEVA  • 01 October 2021

I feel that due to the pandemic, our lives have turned upside down and it seriously concerns me the restrictions that have been imposed are questioning the democratic values people have fought for over the years and the distinctions between the vaccinated and unvaccinated citizens are unfair and put human rights to the test. Is the EU really concerned about the sanity and health of its peoples? If so, why don't governments vote for healthier nutritional habits, more clean air and water, less weapons and more money on education and primary healthcare? In a time when people parade to support the right of anyone adopting any identity- sexual or other, why could not one decide freely if they want to be vaccinated or not? Why should governments terrorize and blackmail employees in case they don't? Do we need more distinctions? Aren't the ones already existing too much to bear? Where has the right to question been buried? Why is it non-scientific to have doubts and be skeptical? In every measure that has been taken in my country, I always get the feeling that there is a hidden agenda which goes beyond my control. I can't believe that they are interested in saving my life and protect my fellow citizens when they pass laws without any concern on the sectors I mentioned above. Thank you!

oana  • 01 October 2021

Free therapy for everyone! Free mental health services in general for everyone, regardless if they have insurance or not.

Carolina Pia Barros Dias de Figueiredo  • 02 October 2021

Do a EU Directive that'll focus on, at a multilevel, eliminating and banning all landfields from the European Union

Carolina  • 02 October 2021

Implementation of human rights courses in the educational field of health professionals, as there are too many not providing services for people of age only due to the age, or refusing treatments for LGBT people, doing the husband stitch on pregnant women, denying the right to abortion or contraceptives (and, worst of all, denying that this occurs or normalising the situation)

Zhala Mammadli (Young European Ambassador)  • 02 October 2021

The mental health of young people has been severely affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Widespread presence of symptoms of anxiety and depression has risen significantly among youth and remains higher than pre‑crisis levels even with the partial re-opening of the economy, and compared to other age groups, even as economies re-open to a limited extent. Mental health deprivation can be linked to disruptions in access to mental health services, the prevalent effects of school closures, and the labor market crisis, which disproportionately impacts young people. With proper support and opportune intervention, young people undergoing mental distress may be able to bounce back as we recover from the COVID‑19 crisis. This will automatically require an augmentation of currently in existence mental health support in education systems, workplaces and health centres, and comprehensive policies to encourage young people to continue in education, or to find and keep a job. A consolidated policy response should be done in practice in order to protect young people’s mental health, both now and on a long-term basis:

1) Supplementary mental health support — dissemination of information, more facile access to telephone or online services and personal services — should be a priority for young people, and alternatives should be identified in schools and universities urgently where mental health support services cannot be restored;

2) Young people at risk of dropping out of school, including those with mental health issues, should be supported to insure that learning does not disrupt learning, which has a long-term effect on youth labor market outcomes and overall well-being;

3) Unemployment is a significant risk factor for worsening mental health: supporting youth to find, maintain and stay in employment should be a preference of economic, social and public health policy. Training mental health professionals in the workplace can foster better mental health among young people who are already working.

Athena Fachin  • 03 October 2021

Covid19 showed us how much is important to pay attention on our mental health and emotional stability. We should start thinking about psychological programmes in schools about knowing emotions, to learn the importance of them, to respect them and that is not bad or unfair to feel.

Response to Athena Fachin by Aneta  • 08 October 2021

I love that idea! There should be a subject about how to take care of your mental health, control stress and anxiety etc.

Daniela Avarvara
 • 07 October 2021
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Creating a unified European health system so as to encourage European citizens to enjoy the same conditions of treatment.

Eliza Iulia Bota  • 07 October 2021

Food as medicine! Put more accent on prevention instead of treatment. The health of a person is found in the 3 meals that they are eating.

Cristina Maria  • 08 October 2021

Regulate and unify the prevention and access to treatment accross EU in front of the most deadly but treatable forms of cancer and other diseases, as some countries have significantly lower survival rates than others given the access to an open market of medical solutions

Aneta  • 08 October 2021

As for the last 6 years I worked with children and teens, I can see the effects of COVID-19 on their mental health. Very often the problems related to children's and teens mental health are underestimated or ignored by their families. Young people have nobody to talk to. It think, creating a web, where young people could chat with a psychologist or a psychology student, just to talk about their everyday worries and problems could help prevent serious mental issues in the future. It is better to prevent than to deal with mental health problems. In Poland, psychology students need to do 900 hours training in order to receive their degree, so it might also be interesting for them to participate as volunteers.

Astrid Euwe  • 09 October 2021

We need health to be a competence of the Union. The COVID-19 pandemic, with the impact on physical and mental health, needs to be dealt with in a European level. The EU coordinated approach to the pandemic and to securing vaccines for our citizens shows we have all the necessary elements to make this happen.

Astrid Elena Euwe Wyss  • 09 October 2021

The internal market is missing one key thing: mutual recognition of methods of payment. It should not be a fear when travelling throughout the European Union whether your usual method of payment will work. As an example, in the Netherlands the standard method of payment is contactless debit, and cash is rarely accepted. However, upon traveling to both Brussels and Strasbourg for the EP, I found credit card is the most accepted method of payment, as is cash.

Anaïs Larue  • 09 October 2021

Diminish meat consumtion
Introduce the Universal Basic Income
Prevent Drugs traffics
Lower sugar, fat and chemical levels in food
Ban pesticides and teach farmers the newest technologies for a sustainable productivity
Support fair prices for food, while ceiling other prices like that of housing

Eva Rosello Laporta  • 09 October 2021
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More mental health available for youth.
Have submitted them to know where they are to be used for help.

Serena  • 10 October 2021
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I am Serena, I am a young woman aged 23 with disabilities and speak to you on behalf of all people of all ages suffering from rare diseases about which you know little and nothing.
Doctors see us as “complicated cases” and do not know how to deal with us. Even a trivial influence can be a huge risk for us. In
order to receive appropriate treatment and surgery that improves our quality of life, we often need to go to another EU country to specialised centres.
I am re-established in Paris, after having almost died in Milan due to a medical error.
When treated abroad, medical expenses are borne by the Nation’s health system. You must submit documentation and wait until you receive a special permit. This permit is often denied because Member States decide to cut healthcare costs and cause serious harm to people.
My idea is that: The EU bears at least part of these costs. Establishes a health passport for all persons in need of special treatment who cannot be provided in their country of origin.
Europe has been breaking down physical barriers for a long time, allowing citizens to move freely. It does so now also to guarantee the right to health of the most vulnerable citizens.

Eva Rosello Laporta  • 10 October 2021
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more mental health, pshiquiatrist and councellors for the youngsters.
They don ´t know where to go when they are depressed, or have abused.

Styliani Kaimakami  • 13 October 2021

It is crucial that we focus on prevention. Prevention is better than cure. The Europian Union should encourage a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle which will solve several health issues generally and in the long term. This can be achieved by raising more awareness for healthy lifestyles across all generations. By supporting an easier and cheaper access to sport facilities, encourage physical activity, meditation, therapy, mindfulness and healthy eating. That is what’s going to give solutions concerning long term health issues. That’s what’s going to make people truly healthy and strong, with an organism capable of facing minor health problems on its own; thus creating more space in hospitals for those who actually are in serious need of care.

Dominik Zajac  • 13 October 2021

Right now we don't really care about kids mind equanimity. Storm of information from various sources shorteners attention span, which disturbs learning and brings mental health problems. We should talk more about mindfulness and meditation, ideally early in schools, it's crutial for our future.

Francesco Antonio Aldo Russo  • 13 October 2021

Personally, as a member of the EA2 youth parliament of allergy and asthma, I consider “health” as an important but neglected aspect of our daily life. In the last years global population has been sensitised about allergies and asthma, but it’s not enough. Covid-19 opened again a road to disinformation among patients and carers: a long debate about vaccine risks for allergic and asthmatic people was opened, specially in the first months of vaccination campaign (but it’s still very hot). This “modern” example is just one of the earliest I can make about discrimination and care for the allergic and asthmatic patients. We live a dual reality; the first one lead to the patient aspect, as medical cares, analyses and so on, the second one lead to the society aspect. Even if sometimes it doesn’t look like what I’m going to say, most of allergic and asthmatic patients are discriminated from a lot of daily places such as restaurants, cafés, hotels because they don’t have any kind of restriction or rule for allergic people, but also from big experience such as exchange student life (sadly I lived this event on my skin). How we can managed it? Creating culture in schools, with public events, sharing with world how reality is. We exist and we need to have the same experiences of everyone. Creating culture means make people feel what we are, what we need and how the not patient can live with us in the easiest way is possibile, and I promise it is. A lot of allergic and asthmatic patients have been discriminated from not patients, causing bullying, stress, isolation. We need to stop that and Covid-19 can be, as every aspect of our lives, a big occasion to change this road, and we can do it together!

Juan carlos Aguiar  • 09 November 2021

And pan European free health system for all to access in the e.u. stop privatization of health system to benefit the rich. Multinationals must pay for creating health hazards, like diabetics, pestesides, poisoning of water resources

Juan carlos Aguiar  • 09 November 2021

An e.u. wide health maintenance and awereness program with excersice in open areas and promotion of using the public transportation, bicycles, trains, walking

Maria-Bianca Pavel  • 20 November 2021

University and/or college life is hard. While there are some fun moments and nice memories, these aspects are often overshadowed by the mental health burdens that students face. We're living one of the most important periods of our lives and that puts a lot of pressure on our shoulders, as we're trying our best to study and get good results. Many students ignore their mental well-being as they're too occupied to fulfill the competitive standards that society, small communities, families or even ourselves have set. We should have a safe space to express ourselves and we should have all the means necessary to take care of our mental health. We are the future of our countries. Taking care of young people's mental health is taking care of our future.

Konstantinos  • 28 March 2022
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In the wake of the pandemic, it would be interesting at the beginning of each school year at every school year to provide information on recruitment and accessibility issues at both local and European levels to health from the EU in cooperation with doctors per region.

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