Lena Hallengren

Since 2016, Sweden has had a bilateral cooperation agreement with the US on cancer research. During Minister for Health and Social Affairs Lena Hallengren’s visit to Washington DC on 1 June, the parties confirmed the desire to deepen their cooperation by extending the agreement.

On 23 May, Minister for Health and Social Affairs Lena Hallengren and UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Sajid Javid hosted a breakfast meeting for the Ministerial Alliance of Champions against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). Both countries established the alliance in 2015 and current members include the US, France and China. The meeting was held in connection with the World Health Assembly in Geneva.

At a dialogue meeting of the Child Rights Delegation on 3 March, Minister for Health and Social Affairs Lena Hallengren heard an assessment of the situation of children due to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

The Government has decided on several mandates that will support Ukraine with medication. The Medical Products Agency and the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency have been tasked with coordinating the transport of medication to Ukraine. The Public Health Agency of Sweden has been tasked with assessing the possibility of donating medication to Ukraine from its reserves.

On 2 March, Minister for Health and Social Affairs Lena Hallengren held a press briefing with Director General of the National Board of Health and Welfare Olivia Wigzell and Director General of the Medical Products Agency Björn Eriksson. Ms Hallengren announced that Sweden will donate medical supplies to Ukraine.

Sweden is establishing a new position – an AMR Ambassador – to further strengthen the important global work against antimicrobial resistance. The position will go to Malin Grape.

A misleading campaign currently being conducted against Sweden on social media and other platforms falsely claims that Muslim children and families are systematically being subjected to abuse by Swedish public authorities.

Read more about the Government’s COVID-19 measures in the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs’ policy areas of public health, medical care, social care and social insurance. The date in the title indicates when the article was written.

The phasing out of measures in response to COVID-19 will begin on 9 February 2022. As of that date, measures such as the participant limit for public gatherings and events and the possibility to demand vaccination certificates upon entry will be removed. The same will apply to other restrictions, such as the requirement of social distancing between groups and cap on group sizes.

On 12 January 2022, stricter infection control measures will be introduced due to the significant increase in community transmission at the same time as there is increased pressure on health care. The overall assessment is that Sweden is in a situation where it is necessary to take certain infection control measures in stage 3 of the Government’s action plan for introducing infection control measures.

On 23 December, more infection control measures will be introduced in accordance with the Government’s action plan for introducing infection control measures. This is due to the increased community transmission of COVID-19 and the increased burden on health and medical care services.

Read more about the Government’s COVID-19 measures in the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs’ policy areas of public health, medical care, social care and social insurance. The date in the title indicates when the article was written.

The Government has introduced further COVID-19 infection control measures due to increased transmission rates and somewhat growing pressure on health care services. The Government also wants to reintroduce further support and compensation to reduce community transmission. Furthermore, the Government is presenting a plan for business support that may be reintroduced if stricter social restrictions need to be reimposed. Vaccinations remain the key to reducing the risk of infection, disease and death, and to avoiding the introduction of further measures.

The Government has introduced several reforms to improve quality and security in care of the elderly. Read more about some of the ongoing initiatives below.

On 27 October, the Government appointed an inquiry to survey and analyse how regulatory frameworks, organisational arrangements and processes in Sweden’s intercountry adoption activities have operated in the past and up to the present. Professor of Civil Law Anna Singer, a specialist in family law of the Faculty of Law of Uppsala University, has been appointed Inquiry Chair. The lessons learned should provide guidance in the development of Sweden’s intercountry adoption activities going forward.

Today in the Riksdag, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson announced the ministers who will serve in the Government. The change of government takes place at a Council of State at the Royal Palace presided over by His Majesty the King. The Council of State begins at 13.00.

The Government intends to proceed with the proposal to allow the use of vaccination certificates at public gatherings and public functions from 1 December 2021. The aim is to limit the spread of the virus among unvaccinated people in particular by preventing them from gathering in large groups, while public gatherings and public functions can continue to receive visitors.

Read more about the Government’s COVID-19 measures in the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs’ policy areas of public health, medical care, social care and social insurance. The date in the title indicates when the article was written.

The government has previously presented a plan for how the advice and restrictions introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are to be adapted and removed. At a press conference on 7 September, the government announced that restrictions on attendance numbers at public gatherings and events are planned to be removed as of 29 September 2021.

At a press conference on Monday, it was announced that a number of restrictions will be lifted as of 15 July. This is in line with step 3 of the Government’s plan for phasing out restrictions introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.