HIV, TB and HCV epidemics in Europe on the rise

31.5.2017

Question for oral answer O-000045/2017
to the Commission
Rule 128
Françoise Grossetête, Claudiu Ciprian Tănăsescu, Urszula Krupa, Frédérique Ries, Kateřina Konečná, Martin Häusling, Piernicola Pedicini, Mireille D'Ornano, on behalf of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

In 2015 almost 30 000 newly diagnosed HIV infections were reported by the 31 EU/EEA countries. An estimated 120 000 people in the Europe region developed Multi-Drug Resistant TB (MDR-TB). Viral hepatitis (HCV) is one of the most serious public health threats globally.

As such, all three infections require long-term and sustained programmes, often targeting overlapping population groups, and there are potential synergies and savings in integrating prevention services. The current EU Action Plan on HIV/AIDS expired at the end of 2016. The ECDC Framework Action Plan to Fight Tuberculosis in the European Union dates back to 2008 and urgently needs to be updated. No comprehensive plan to tackle Hepatitis C is in place yet at EU level. During the informal meeting of EU Health Ministers in Bratislava on 4 October 2016, Member States agreed to support the development of an integrated EU policy framework on HIV/AIDS, TB and Hepatitis C, addressing the specific nature of the epidemics in the EU and its neighbourhood, in order to strengthen the political response to the diseases. In its Communication entitled ‘Next steps for a sustainable European future’[1], the Commission stressed its commitment to end HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis and to reduce hepatitis by 2030. Given this context:

– What concrete action is the Commission planning to take to give effect to the commitments made in the abovementioned Communication pertaining to SDG 3 ‘Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’?

– How does the Commission plan to respond to the agreement between EU Health Ministers in Bratislava on 4 October on the need to develop a policy framework on HIV/AIDS, TB and Hepatitis C?

– How does the Commission plan to supplement funding to fight TB in EU developing countries, in the form of providing financial help to the Member States intended to partially subsidise the prohibitive costs of TB treatments.

• [1]  COM(2016)0739.