Austerity Linked to Over 1 Million Preventable Deaths in EU
More than 1 million people in the European Union died from avoidable causes in 2022, according to new data from a Eurostats report. Of these, over 386,000 deaths were attributed to diseases treatable with quality healthcare, while at least 725,000 could have been prevented through effective public health interventions.
The conditions cited include heart disease, COVID-19, and several cancers – such as colon, breast, and lung cancer – that experts have long said could be more effectively addressed with proper investment in screening and treatment. Despite these warnings, European authorities continue to slash funding for health and care services while committing record sums to military spending.
Eurostat’s report indicates that Eastern European countries are disproportionately affected. Latvia had the highest rate, with 543 preventable deaths per 100,000 people, followed by Romania, Hungary, and Lithuania: countries where public health systems have been severely weakened by fiscal constraints and transition to profit-oriented services. In comparison, Sweden and Luxembourg recorded 169 and 180 preventable deaths per 100,000, respectively.
“It is shocking and unacceptable that more than a million people are losing their lives every year in the EU to avoidable conditions because our healthcare services are not properly funded,” said Esther Lynch, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). “It also shows there is absolutely no room to reallocate resources from social spending to defense.”
In response, trade unions have renewed their call to end austerity and ensure that the wealthiest contribute fairly to the functioning of public services. “The resources exist: even a modest 1% tax on extreme wealth would be sufficient to cover staff shortages in health,” stated Jan Willem Goudriaan of the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU). “Our public services need more investment and the wealthiest should pay their fair share in the wake of record corporate profits and dividend payouts,” added Lynch.
A key trade union demand is increased funding for the training and hiring of healthcare workers. OECD data shows a current shortage of at least 1.2 million healthcare workers in Europe: this figure is likely underestimated, as it is based on minimum Universal Health Coverage (UHC) thresholds rather than the actual requirements for universal care.
The staffing crisis is taking a serious toll on both workers and patients, with widespread reports of burnout and unsafe conditions, including overcrowded corridors and inadequate staffing ratios. “Commercialization and privatization do not solve these issues,” Goudriaan said. “We urgently need more public funding to address this. ‘Austerity kills’ is not just a slogan – it’s the reality faced daily by patients and health professionals.”
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