Primary care and early detection are key to the future of addressing chronic diseases.

The development of screening initiatives for early diagnosis , the strengthening of Primary Care (PC) as the backbone of health, and the definition of monitoring indicators are the tools that will allow us to successfully address the challenge of chronicity in Spain . This was explained by representatives of the Chronicity Horizon 2030 Platform (CH2030) during the presentation of the entity's new positioning, a decalogue that poses challenges and offers practical solutions to the problem of chronicity and the multiple pathologies associated with it. In our country, chronic pathologies affect 54.3% of the population over 15 years of age1 and, within these, cardiovascular , renal, and metabolic diseases (CRM), often interconnected, are the leading cause of death worldwide.

"The prevalence of this group of diseases, which represents a considerable loss in people's quality of life, is increasing in Spain, so it is necessary to prioritize its approach in health policies . We need a cohesive and effective response to the new reality of chronicity, marked by the growing importance of the chronic multi-pathological patient , those who suffer from more than one disease," said Andoni Lorenzo , president of the Spanish Patients' Forum (FEP) and member of the CH2030 Platform , during the opening of the event.

International organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) , and the European Commission (EC) advocate for public policies that help strengthen the approach to non-communicable diseases (NCDs)—such as the EU Cardiovascular Health Plan, which the EC is currently working on. In this regard, a few days ago, the United Nations General Assembly held a meeting to address the importance of accelerating efforts to reduce NCDs by 2030.

For their part, our country's health authorities have also recognized this problem and have implemented various measures to combat it. In Spain, the Ministry of Health will soon present the updated Strategy for Addressing Chronic Conditions in the NHS, through the 2025-2028 Development Document.

Prevention and Primary Care, axes of chronicity

The new positioning of the CH2030 Platform highlights the need to promote prevention and self-care to achieve a better approach to chronic diseases , through collaboration and multidisciplinary work among all healthcare professionals . "The promotion of preventive actions—promoting screenings, health education campaigns, etc.—with the help of the Spanish pharmacy network is essential to achieve self-care in children, young people , adults and the elderly with chronic pathologies, reduce the incidence of chronic pathologies and improve the quality of life of these patients," said Juan Pedro Rísquez , vice president of the General Council of Official Colleges of Pharmacists (CGCOF) and member of the CH2030 Platform. "Every day, 2.3 million people visit one of Spain's 22,231 pharmacies , making them the closest healthcare resource to citizens and, therefore, a strategic ally in achieving these goals," Rísquez concluded.

For his part, Dr. Francisco José Sáez , head of the Chronic Disease Working Group of the Spanish Society of General and Family Physicians ( SEMG ) and member of the CH2030 Platform, added the indispensable role of Primary Care in the proper management of chronic disease care . "It is the backbone of health equity for the public health system . Not only in prevention, but also in the care and monitoring of chronic patients with multiple pathologies . Furthermore, it is fundamental for the effective and valid implementation of public policies in this area," he commented.

Likewise, the experts gathered at the media event considered it essential to define monitoring and impact indicators that cut across all regional governments. "These indicators would not only provide insight into the real impact on the population's health , but would also facilitate the identification of areas for improvement, the monitoring of equity in care, and evidence-based decision-making that guarantees the sustainability of the healthcare system. It would be positive if this monitoring were reinforced with the creation of an independent observatory and if short-, medium-, and long-term goals could be established for meeting objectives, with binding reports and periodic reviews," stated Dr. Ana Rodríguez Cala, member of the Board of Directors of the Spanish Society for Healthcare Quality (SECA) and member of the CH2030 Platform.

Having reached the end of its timeframe , and in view of the numerous challenges still facing chronicity, the CH2025 Platform has changed its name this year to the CH2030 Platform. Furthermore, with the aim of continuing to foster multisectoral consensus and public-political awareness on chronicity, CH2030 has incorporated into its ranks the Spanish Society of Healthcare Managers (SEDISA), the Spanish Society of Primary Care Managers (SEDAP), and the Spanish Society for Healthcare Quality (SECA).

These entities join the other members of the CH2030 Platform, which is comprised of SEMERGEN, SEMFYC, SEMG, SEMI, the OMC, the General Council of Social Work, the Spanish Patients' Forum, the General Council of Official Colleges of Pharmacists, the General Council of Nursing, the HUMANS Foundation, and Boehringer Ingelheim Spain. Since its founding in 2018, with the collaboration of the German pharmaceutical company, it has become a multidisciplinary forum for debate in which all stakeholders involved in addressing chronic illness in our country analyze and debate proposals to make improving the situation of chronic illness patients a priority on the national political agenda.

“At Boehringer Ingelheim, we are optimistic about the evolution of the Platform, which will continue to work collaboratively to successfully address the fundamental challenges that still persist in the management of chronic conditions in Spain. In this sense, the incorporation of three new scientific and professional societies will provide the project with a more comprehensive vision and strengthen its capacity to drive real improvements. In this new phase, the CH2030 Platform remains committed to promoting a renewed model of chronic condition care in Spain and as an ally of public administrations in positioning this issue as a structural priority for the healthcare system,” concludes Guillem Bruch , Director of Market Access and Healthcare Affairs at Boehringer Ingelheim Spain.