First meeting of the Erandio Local Health Network
The municipality is promoting the community action project ‘Erandio Mugitzen ari da!’ developed within the framework of the European project HEALTH4EUkids.
On 27 March, the Merkatu Zaharra in Erandio hosted the first key meeting for community health with the first meeting of the Local Health Network, where the ‘Action Plan 2025-2027 of Erandio Mugitzen ari da!’ was designed. This initiative is part of the European HEALTH4EUkids project, which seeks to prevent childhood obesity and promote health and well-being in the population through the transformation of community environments and spaces. Two good practices are being transferred in 12 EU countries in the European project, with Erandio being the pilot municipality selected in the Basque Country.
Biosistemak together with the Public Health Department of the Basque Government are the entities representing the Basque Country in this project. Both organisations are coordinating this project in the Biscayan municipality where different activities have been carried out to analyse the context and see the real needs of the population, in order to prioritise and define actions that respond to the real needs of the municipality’s children, especially in the most disadvantaged environments.
In Erandio, the good practice ‘Grünau Moves’, originally developed in Germany and prioritised by the European Commission, is being adapted and transferred. The work of the institute consists of transferring this experience, ensuring that its local implementation has a scientific basis and is evaluable, with special attention to the socioeconomic particularities of the municipality.
Participatory processes and lines of action
The first meeting of the Local Health Network brought together a broad cross-section of the community, including municipal officials from the areas of Education, Sport and Social Action; primary care and mental health professionals; head teachers and counsellors from schools; representatives of sports associations, pensioners’ associations and social groups, as well as residents of Erandio.
During the working session, different dynamics were carried out in order to prioritise the proposals and actions collected in the activities carried out for the context analysis. The actions prioritised by the participants are related to education on nutrition and healthy habits, the creation of urban spaces that encourage physical activity, the reinforcement of psychological support services for young people and awareness campaigns on the responsible use of technologies.
Next steps and objectives
The process will continue in the coming weeks with the drafting of the final Action Plan 2025-2027, which will incorporate the contributions of all the participating agents. The first actions are expected to be implemented before the end of 2025, with the aim of improving the environments, habits, health and well-being of the child population, as well as reducing health inequalities.
HEALTH4EUKids, which will end in 2025, aims to be an innovative action that promotes participatory processes in environments to create healthier environments for children in different contexts through changes in both public policies and urban planning, with special emphasis on neighbourhoods with the greatest social needs.
