Commissioner Kyriakides in Lisbon to promote the European Health Union, Beating Cancer Plan and EU Vaccines Strategy

On Wednesday, 3 November, Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, will be in Lisbon, Portugal, where she will meet the Minister of Health of Portugal, Marta Temido. Discussions will focus on the EU Vaccines Strategy and the roll-out of the national vaccination campaign in Portugal, as well as the way forward on the proposals under the European Health Union and Europe's Beating Cancer Plan. The meeting will be followed by a visit to the Portuguese Institute of Oncology and a debate with the public on ‘European Health Union: prevent, care and collaborate’, part of the Conference on the Future of Europe, that can be followed here and here. The same day, the Commissioner will speak at a fireside chat at the Web Summit on ‘Back to the future: Europe post-COVID’. On 4 November, the Commissioner will visit the Champalimaud Foundation and deliver a speech at the Advanced Breast Cancer Sixth International Consensus Conference. Ahead of the visit, Commissioner Kyriakides said: “The EU Vaccines Strategy is a great example of the power and efficacy of European collaboration and solidarity in action. In Portugal, over 90% of the adult population is now fully vaccinated, which is truly impressive and a great achievement. Portugal’s vaccination campaign has demonstrated the effect of vaccines, with the rate of COVID-19 infections and hospitalisations having gone down – it is an example to follow. However, winter is around the corner, other respiratory viruses are re-appearing, and the pandemic is far from over. It is also more crucial that we continue addressing the impact of COVID-19 on other major health challenges, including cancer where decisive and ambitious action will be taken through Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.” The visit is part of the Commission's ongoing efforts and Commissioner Kyriakides's commitment to support the roll-out of Member States’ national COVID-19 vaccination campaigns and address the impact of COVID-19 on other diseases.