Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Chair of WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health with Lord Mayor, Cllr Naomi Long and Dr Bernadette Devlin, Chair of Belfast Healthy Cities at the Lecture Celebrating 21 Years of Belfast Healthy Cities
Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Chairman of the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health, today highlighted how poor health and health inequalities are primarily the result of social inequalities. The internationally acclaimed academic was speaking at a lecture entitled ‘Closing the Gap in a Generation: A new global and local agenda for health equity’ at Queen’s University celebrating the 21st anniversary of the Belfast Healthy Cities partnership.
In 2008 the Commission on Social Determinants of Health launched a report entitled ‘Closing the Gap in a Generation’, which highlighted that health inequalities are primarily the result of social inequalities-the unequal distribution of power, money and resources.
Professor Sir Michael Marmot said:
“The report has highlighted that ‘inequities in health, avoidable health inequities, arise because of the circumstances in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and the systems put in place to deal with illness. The conditions in which people live and die are, in turn, shaped by political, social and economic forces.’”
“The report concluded that ‘social injustice is killing people on a grand scale.’ However, the Commission is also optimistic suggesting that provided there is the political will and leadership to take focused sustained action the gap in health equity can be closed in a generation.”
The report’s three key recommendations on how to improve health equity through action on the social determinants of health are:
-improve the conditions of daily life-the circumstances in which people are born, grow, live, work and age
-tackle the inequitable distribution of money, power and resources including strengthened governance
-measure the problem, evaluate action, expand the knowledge base, develop a work force that is trained in the social determinants of health and raise public awareness about the social determinants of health.
Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey said:
“We congratulate Belfast Healthy Cities on celebrating their 21st anniversary and on entering the fifth phase of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network. As a city, Belfast has demonstrated successful implementation of the Healthy cities approach, qualities and core themes during each of the four five year phases to date. Over the past 21 years the Eastern Health and Social Services Board and Belfast City Council have been the lead partners for Belfast Healthy Cities. I set up the new Public Health Agency earlier this year which has within its remit, responsibility for facilitating partnerships with key organisations, local government and other sectors to improve health and wellbeing and reduce inequalities. This will undoubtedly help to further develop the excellent work undertaken in this area to date.”
Dr. Bernadette Cullen, Chair of Belfast Healthy Cities, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Professor Marmot to Belfast today to address the Belfast Healthy Cities 21st Anniversary Lecture. Belfast has been an active and lead member of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network from its establishment in 1988. Belfast Healthy Cities has introduced a range of concepts citywide and regionally; partnership working; integrated planning for health and understanding the social determinants of health.
“The challenge for the future in Belfast and across Northern Ireland is to redress the limited change in inequalities in health over the past decade. I believe it is essential that health representatives and local government make reducing inequalities in health a priority. Action needs to be taken on both a global and local level and through collaboration across sectors health and wellbeing can be improved for everyone.”
Also addressing today’s event were The Rt. Hon. The Lord Mayor, Councillor Naomi Long, Mary Hinds, Acting Chief Executive of the Public Health Agency, Presenter David Dunseith, Belfast Healthy Cities Chair Dr. Bernadette Cullen and Director Joan Devlin. Senior representatives of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, PSNI, Department of Health and the private sector were among those who attended today’s lecture, alongside representatives of ten other UK cities from the European Healthy Cities Network.
For more information on the ‘Closing the Gap in a Generation’ report go to http://www.who.int/social_determinants/en/ For more information on Belfast Healthy Cities go to www.belfasthealthycities.com
