EPHA
The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) is a European non-profit association. The EPHA has 92 member organisations based in 21 European countries. Its members are non-profit organisations working on all aspects of public health, made up of public health NGOs, patient groups, health professionals, and disease groups working together to improve health and strengthen the voice of public health in Europe.
Full members of EPHA are Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) which are active in the public health sector. Associate members are other non-profit organisations, such as professional bodies, academic institutions and local or regional authorities. The Centre for Health and Development Murska Sobota (CHD) is a member at national level.
EPHA was established in 1993 after the ratification of the Maastricht treaty of 1992 which for the first time gave the European Community responsibilities in health protection. The European Community Amsterdam Treaty Article 152 extended EU competence to promoting health of European citizens, in addition to protecting it as in Article 129 of the Maastricht treaty.
EPHA’s mission is to bring together the public health community to provide thought leadership and facilitate change; to build public health capacity to deliver equitable solutions to European public health challenges, to improve health and reduce health inequalities.
By 2020, EPHA aims to make sure that public health objectives and the reduction of health inequalities will be fully taken into account (‘mainstreamed’) through all relevant EU policies and programmes, with the EU institutions making a shift to a Governance for Health and Wellbeing approach.
EPHA trains, mentors and supports NGOs and health actors to engage with the EU, particularly local organisations, those working with disadvantaged communities in Central and Eastern Europe; they participate in policy debates and stakeholder dialogues to raise the profile of health in all policy areas, supporting collaboration and partnerships between non-governmental organisations and other organisations active at European, national and local level on health promotion and public health.