Danish health reform to cut regions to four

Denmark is set to reduce its regions from five to four in a major health reform. It merges Zealand and the Capital Region into ‘Eastern Denmark’, housing nearly half the population. Announced by Interior and Health Minister Sophie Løhde, the reform aims to decentralize healthcare. It’s backed by multiple political parties and includes creating 17 health councils for local integration of services. The reform plans 5,000 GPs by 2035, adding 1,500 doctors for improved rural coverage. New chronic care packages for diseases like COPD and diabetes will standardize treatment timelines similar to existing cancer packages.