Sanja Musić Milanović Participates in the HealthComm Forum 2025: Children’s Health Must Be the Starting Point for All Public Policies
The spouse of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Prof. Dr. Sanja Musić Milanović, participated in the HealthComm Forum 2025 held in Zagreb, focused on the theme “The New Face of Health: A New Paradigm for a Healthier Society.”
During a panel discussion titled “Health as a Political Project: How ‘Healthy Living’ is Transforming the System from the Ground Up,” Prof. Dr. Musić Milanović emphasized that health is the foundation of a sustainable society. She explained that health is not merely the absence of disease, but a comprehensive state of physical, mental, and social well-being. As such, health and its determinants must be integrated into all public policies as a long-term investment in society. She further highlighted the importance of building systems that support healthier choices in daily life – across schools, workplaces, and public spaces – stressing that a comprehensive approach is essential to ensuring the sustainability of health systems in the most cost-effective manner.
Prof. Dr. Musić Milanović placed particular emphasis on the need for inter-sectoral collaboration to create conditions that allow all citizens – regardless of age, location, or level of education – to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. In this context, she underscored the significance of the National Health Promotion Programme “Healthy Living”, which adopts a holistic and multi-sectoral approach to health by integrating it into key public policies. She added that health is not only a matter of healthcare policy, but also a cornerstone of social justice.
Addressing international efforts, Prof. Dr. Musić Milanović referenced the Summit of the Spouses of European Leaders held in Zagreb, which led to the adoption of the Zagreb Declaration.
“The Zagreb Declaration is not just symbolic – it provides a concrete political and expert framework for urgent action in the prevention of childhood obesity. Children’s health must be the starting point for all public policies,” she stated.
In conclusion, Prof. Dr. Musić Milanović emphasized that investment in health must remain a lasting political, institutional, and societal commitment shared by all stakeholders.
The HealthComm Forum brings together domestic and international experts from the fields of healthcare, politics, science, and industry, offering a platform for dialogue on sustainable health systems, strategic communication, and health as a collective social resource.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas