Message from ESG Festival Caring for Health and Prevention Greatest Social Responsibility

At the ESG Festival in Belgrade, Frank Staud, Executive Vice President of STADA Group, presented results of the Health Report, based on the answers of 27,000 respondents in 22 countries, highlighting Serbia as the pillar of STADA's global production and an important partner in strengthening public health.

Staud warned that only a half of the citizens stated they lived healthily, that caring for health is in strong correlation with income, and that mental health remains a suppressed topic — with 26% of people having faced challenges and a rise in preventive practices. His message: prevention and the responsibility of both the system and individuals must become a shared priority.

Staud emphasised the importance of Serbia as the cornerstone of STADA's global production, as well as the significance of the report, which can assist the Government of Serbia in creating a better healthcare system for all users — enabling people to take care of their health in a more timely and effective way. The Report involved 22 countries and 27,000 respondents, and it gives insights into physical and mental health of population.

Staud pointed out the most relevant findings for healthcare systems across Europe: the need to strengthen prevention, rebuild trust in healthcare systems that was disrupted during the pandemic, as well as the fact that only half of the respondents lead a healthy lifestyle. The report confirms that health care is directly correlated with financial means, highlighting the necessity of providing additional support to those who are not financially secure.

"When it comes to mental health, according to the survey results, 26% of respondents have faced some kind of issue of this nature, while over 60% take preventive measures. Almost 30% miss work and take sick leave due to stress. It is encouraging that among respondents under the age of 35, as many as 62% are willing to take all measures to preserve their mental health," stated Frank Staud while participating in the panel discussion entitled: Prevention, Responsibility, Sustainability: Health as a Shared Responsibility as part of the ESG Festival. Speaking of the results concerning Serbian citizens, Staud pointed out that although 77% say they have good mental health, as many as 74% have experienced some form of burnout.

"Because of all this, a wake-up call is necessary — health care is a shared responsibility of healthcare systems and every individual. Governments and systems need to empower people to lead healthy lifestyles, with a special emphasis on mental health and providing support to those who lack sufficient means for treatment," Staud stated.

Dr Mirsad Đerlek, State Secretary at the Ministry of Health, agreed with Staud, emphasising that Serbia must change its collective approach to prevention and health preservation — starting from the earliest age and the education system, so that prevention becomes a way of life. He added that Serbia ranks near the top when it comes to prevention and that the past two years have brought numerous activities in the field of preventive check-ups and the preservation of citizens' health.

Ronald Seeliger, Hemofarm CEO, reflected on the role of companies in preserving health, particularly the health of their own employees. "At Hemofarm, we provide a day off so that our employees can undergo all the necessary medical check-ups," said Seeliger, adding that the company implements programs that encourage preventive examinations:

"In collaboration with the Ministry and healthcare institutions, Hemofarm is transforming the landscape in the field of health through projects, educational campaigns, and donations. A company must always give back to the community," stated Seeliger. On the occasion, Đerlek expressed his gratitude to the company for raising awareness about organ transplantation in Serbia, which reached a record high this year with 96 procedures performed.

A guest at the panel, Dr Mary Vukša, psychologist and clinical pharmacologist, stressed the importance of mental health as a cultural issue that needs to be addressed in order for us to become effective members of society. She added that AI can support this process and described it as encouraging that more and more young people are taking care of their mental health.