Key Challenges
Dr. Daniel Cauchi 05/07/2019
MD MSc PhD
for a Ministry for Health
Scenario: Malta
Food imports
Cost of Obesity
Source: Pwc 2017 “Weighing the costs of obesity in Malta”
~ €56 million in 2016
~ 8.1% of annual public recurrent health expenditure
~5.6% of national healthcare expenditure
~ 0.4% of GDP
Cost of Obesity
What are the key challenges for the Ministry for Health?
WWW.MENTI.COM
CODE: 896270
1. Economy first
2. The predominant narrative…
3. Intersectoral communication
4. Shrinking funds
Percentage of health budget allocated to public health including preventive services:
2012 2.37%
4. Shrinking funds
Percentage of health budget allocated to public health including preventive services:
2012 2.37%
2016 1.81%
5. Public opinion?
6. Rising healthcare costs
7. Fake news & rising public skepticism
Resurgence of infectious diseases
Measles cases: Malta
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Discarded
ClinicalEpi
Lab Month of onset
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er
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Personal challenges - working within the MoH
• Remaining motivated
• Conflict of interest/ethical challenges – too many hats?
• Under-resourced & over-stretched (shortage of health workers)
Solutions?
1. Speak the language
•Politicians vs policymakers
•5 year electoral cycle (++?)
• Learn how to speak to politicians:• Stories? emotional vs purely scientific arguments• KPIs - preserve credibility
• Bite-sized information
2. Build bridges (& network)
3. Shift the narrative (pivot and adapt)
internalize externalities;
structural arguments
4. Anticipate
4. Anticipate
Politicization of health issuesNegotiation
• Evidence-based? (sandbag analogy)
• Prioritizing
• Lead by example
What else?
Thank you
Questions?