Press programme

67th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe

Budapest, Hungary, 11–14 September 2017

About the event

The WHO Regional Committee for Europe – the annual governance meeting of WHO/Europe – will meet in Budapest, Hungary, on 11–14 September 2017. Over 500 delegates, including health ministers and high-level representatives of the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region, along with partner organizations and civil society will attend the meeting. Her Royal Highness, The Crown Princess of Denmark; new WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus; the Prime-Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras; the Deputy Prime Ministers of Malta and Turkey and other high-level guests will address the Committee.

The delegates are expected to adopt a number of resolutions on important public health issues and on the technical and administrative work of WHO/Europe. Key topics on this year’s agenda include:

• opportunities and challenges for 21st-century public health
• practical action towards building a fit-for-purpose health workforce
• ways to improve access to medicines in the Member States
• 10 years of implementing the International Health Regulations (2005) in the Region.

The 4-day programme also includes progress reports on the implementation of the European action plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol 2012–2020, the European food and nutrition action plan 2015–2020 and the European mental health action plan.

Location

The Regional Committee will take place at the Budapest Congress Center (Jagelló út 1–3, 1123 Budapest, Hungary).

Press registration

Journalists who wish to cover the event are invited to register in advance by sending an email to negrul@who.int . On-site badge pickup will start on Monday 11 September at 08:00 at the media registration desk, which will be signposted. Please bring your press credentials and photo ID.

Press programme

Registered journalists are invited to attend the Regional Committee sessions, including plenaries and technical briefings. The provisional programme of the meeting is available in the “Documentation/Working documents” folder on our web site www.euro.who.int/rc67

Press activities and highlights for the press are listed in the table below.

Interviews with WHO European experts

WHO experts attending the Regional Committee session in Budapest will be available for interviews in person, by phone or in the studio, on the following topics:

• key regional and global strategies driving European progress in public health: Health 2020 and the Sustainable Development Goals;
• infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, HIV, influenza, hepatitis, etc.;
• vaccination;
• antimicrobial resistance;
• chronic disease, including heart disease, diabetes and cancers;
• mental health;
• nutrition, physical activity and health;
• public health emergencies and the International Health Regulations (2005);
• environment and health;
• health system strengthening;
• health workforce;
• access to medicines;
• migration and health.

Please contact us via email negrul@who.int or by mobile phone at + (45) 20 45 92 74. For interviews in the studio, please contact us at least 24 hours in advance to check availability.

Press room and technical arrangements

The press room will be based on the entrance level of the Budapest Congress Center and will operate during 08:30–18:00, from Monday 11 September through Thursday 14 September.

Web streaming

The plenary sessions will be streamed on the internet at  www.euro.who.int/rc67 . Side events and press briefings will not be available through web streaming.