Central Europe's 'Silent Crisis' of Respiratory Diseases to Headline Economic Forum

The upcoming 35th Economic Forum in Karpacz, Poland, set to begin on September 8, will dedicate substantial attention to the critical issue of respiratory health, particularly within Central Europe. This major international conference, expected to draw over 6,000 guests including leaders from politics, business, science, and culture, will host a dedicated Forum on Health Protection.

This health forum alone will convene 750 participants from Poland, Europe, and the United States. Attendees will include government representatives, international organization officials, medical experts, hospital directors, and pharmaceutical industry leaders. A key focus will be the escalating challenge of respiratory diseases, which are increasingly recognized as a central issue in public health policy, closely linked to non-communicable diseases and the broader impacts of climate change.

Air pollution is identified as a major contributor, responsible for approximately 8 million deaths globally each year. A significant portion of these deaths are associated with non-communicable diseases, including chronic respiratory conditions. In Europe, respiratory diseases represent a stark example of a problem that is acutely visible in clinical practice and carries severe economic consequences, yet often remains underrepresented in health policy discussions.

A specific panel, titled "The Air We Breathe: Facing the Silent Crisis of Respiratory Diseases in Central Europe," will feature prominent speakers. These include Alexander Simidchiev, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Health Protection in Bulgaria; Peter Stachura, Member of Parliament from Slovakia; Radu Ganescu, President of COPAC Patients' Organization in Hungary; Professor Tadeusz Zielonka from the Medical University of Warsaw; Tamás Pándics, Scientific Director at the National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy in Hungary; and Stefano Romanelli, Director of EUCOPE in Italy. The forum's opening on September 8 will also include the presentation of the "SGH and Economic Forum Report 2026," offering a comprehensive analysis of the economic situation in Poland and Central and Eastern European countries.