source: andri_tirta/flickr.com

Eastern and Central European countries want to redress inequalities in healthcare system of new and old EU member states.

A conference of health ministers from twelve countries of Central and Eastern Europe will take place in Warsaw today. They are to discuss the terms of the agreement conerning the international programme called Health Evolution Monitoring - Closing the Gap, aimed at leveling out the differences in the state of health of the residents from the old EU member states and the new arrivals from 2004. The officials will jointly address the European Commission with a request for funding towards the initiative. 

The event will also focus on cancer treatment in Europe, and will be attended by Peter Boyle, head of the International Agency for Research on Cancer and Witold Zatoński, from the Institute of Oncology in Warsaw. The conference will also include the announcement of the 2008 World Cancer Report.

Click on the audio icon to listen to the report by Alicja Baczyńska.