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“Capitalism, Pandemics and Public Health”

Every capitalist epoch presents distinct struggles for health, social justice, and access to health care. The onset of this decade has been characterised by growing health and health care disparities. In addition to having increased the class divide in accessing health services, healthcare, and vaccines worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic illustrates the global public health crisis within the context of a planetary health emergency. Both have been propelled by a cynical economic system that prioritizes profit-making at the detriment of planetary needs. Furthermore, ongoing conflicts and wars over resources – which exacerbate nationalism amidst an increasingly unstable climate – continue to shape the political economy of health worldwide. Human engagement with the planet is imperative for understanding and strengthening public health and health care systems against future threats.

Within the above context, the 19th IAHPE Conference will focus on looking forward to preparing for future public health challenges, addressing the following themes:

• Health care inequities and the struggle for health.
• Planetary health, climate change, and health.
• War and conflict and health.
• Migration, forced migration, and health.
• Universal health care and health services privatization.
• Access and distribution of vaccines and pharmaceuticals.
• Academic freedom and commodification of public
  health education.
• Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and public health preparedness
• Challenges and opportunities for public health.
• Social movements, solidarity, and public health activism.

The 19th IAHPE conference is hosted by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) in Thessaloniki, Greece and organised jointly by (a) the International Association of Health Policy Europe (b) the Laboratory of Primary Health Care and Health Services Research of the AUTh School of Medicine and (c) the Centre for Research and Education on Public Health, Health Policy and Primary Health Care (CEHP).