On the agenda

17–20 September 2018, Rome, Italy

Health ministers and high-level representatives of the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region as well as partner organizations and civil society will take part in the 68th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Rome, Italy, on 17–20 September 2018.

Key technical health issues on this year’s agenda include:

  • The European health report 2018;
  • Implementation of the roadmap to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, building on Health 2020, the European policy framework for health and well-being, and review of the joint monitoring framework;
  • Advancing public health in the WHO European Region for sustainable development;
  • Can people afford to pay for health care? New evidence on financial protection in Europe;
  • Action plan to improve public health preparedness and response in the WHO European Region;
  • Strategy on the health and well-being of men in the WHO European Region;
  • Implementation of the Regional Framework for Surveillance and Control of Invasive Mosquito Vectors and Re-emerging Vector-borne Diseases 2014–2020: lessons learned and the way forward;
  • Vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization: realizing the full potential of the European Vaccine Action Plan;
  • Countries at the centre: the strategic role of country offices in the WHO European Region;
  • Impact of WHO reform on the work of the WHO European Region;
  • Accreditation of regional non-State actors to the WHO Regional Committee for Europe;

The 4-day programme will also include reports on WHO high-level meetings

  • Health Systems Respond to NCDs: Experience in the European Region (Sitges, Spain, 16–18 April 2018);
  • Health Systems for Prosperity and Solidarity: Leaving No One Behind (Tallinn, Estonia, 13–14 June 2018).

In addition to the agenda items mentioned above, 15 progress reports will provide updates on the implementation of a number of resolutions approved by the Regional Committee at previous sessions. As is customary, ministerial lunches and technical briefings will offer additional opportunities to discuss technical items.

The sessions will be  available via live webcast, and real-time coverage on Twitter using the hashtag #RC68 will be shared.