News

Avian influenza A(H5N8) infects humans in Russian Federation 02-03-2021

Russian authorities have reported 7 poultry farm workers aged 29 to 60 years infected with the A(H5N8) strain of avian influenza, also known as bird flu. This is the first reported detection of this strain of avian influenza in humans. The human infections occurred on a poultry farm in Astrakhan, Russian Federation, and were reported to WHO by Russian health officials via channels of the International Health Regulations (2005).

WHO promotes distance care for diabetic patients in Czechia during COVID-19 21-12-2020

Health care systems in Czechia had to adapt to many challenges during COVID-19, one of which was caring for patients with diabetes. WHO supported the use of telemedicine, including continuous glucose monitoring technologies, to allow patients to share personal health data with doctors at a distance, enabling many to stay in control of their diabetes during the pandemic.

New WHO report reveals that while smoking continues to decline among European adolescents, the use of electronic cigarettes by young people is on the rise 02-12-2020

Tobacco use among young people in the WHO European Region remains a public health concern. Despite the overall downward trend, several countries of the Region observed an increase in tobacco use prevalence among young people in the latest round of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey. While cigarettes remain the most used form of tobacco products, there is a concerning trend emerging from the use of electronic cigarettes (or e-cigarettes). According to the latest available data, young people are turning to these products at an alarming rate. The new report reveals that in some countries the rates of e-cigarette use among adolescents were much higher than those for conventional cigarettes. In Poland, for example, 15.3% of students smoked cigarettes and 23.4% used electronic cigarettes in 2016.

In brief: the 70th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe (RC70) 15-09-2020

For the first time, the WHO Regional Committee for Europe took place virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Among the highlights of this year’s session was the endorsement by Member States of the European Programme of Work (EPW). The EPW sets down a 5-year vision of how WHO/Europe and Member States will work together to meet citizens’ expectations for health.

SocialNet 2019: a real-life rehearsal on risk communication, community engagement and social science for the COVID-19 pandemic 08-09-2020

“When COVID-19 emerged, we quickly committed to daily press conferences and answered each and every question. If we didn’t have the answer, we said so honestly and promised to get more information as soon as possible,” says Oskars Sneiders, Head of the Communication Division in the Latvian Ministry of Health. “We saw a strong effect: people really listened and followed our recommendations, which has helped us to keep case numbers down so far.”

WHO addresses European Parliament on COVID-19 response 01-07-2020

On 25 June, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge spoke to the European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) about the global response to COVID-19. They highlighted the leadership of the European Union (EU) at this unprecedented time and responded to questions from Members of the European Parliament.

WHO joins forces with 17 central European countries to step up tailored COVID-19 response 05-06-2020

A joint task force has been established by WHO/Europe and the Central European Initiative (CEI) to respond to COVID-19 and step up regional coordination to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

WHO report on health behaviours of 11–15-year-olds in Europe reveals more adolescents are reporting mental health concerns 19-05-2020

In around a third of countries, the report reveals a rise in adolescents feeling pressured by schoolwork and a decline in young people reporting to like school. The report also discloses that over 1 in 10 adolescents report having been cyberbullied at least once in the past two months.

Moving towards a multisectoral approach to tackling antimicrobial resistance 19-03-2020

A new publication produced by WHO’s European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and published by Cambridge University Press outlines the need for multisectoral approaches – involving disciplines such as human medicine, veterinary medicine, agricultural sciences, epidemiology, economics, sociology and psychology – to address the global problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The publication goes on to describe the potential economic and policy responses for tackling the challenge of AMR in the European Union.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): European Region focusing on readiness 14-02-2020

In response to the detection of the COVID-19 virus in China in December 2019, countries in the WHO European Region have been activating national plans to ensure that health and other systems are not just prepared for but also ready to respond to importation of this new virus. This means that public health officials can rapidly respond to reports of suspect cases and identify contacts at high risk; hospitals have the necessary equipment and guidance to manage cases while protecting health-care staff and other patients from infection; and the public understands the level of risk posed by the virus and how to minimize it.

Time for integrated and people-centred services for HIV, TB and viral hepatitis 10-01-2020

The international medical journal, The Lancet, has published an article demonstrating the benefits of integrated and people-centred services in responding to the rise of HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and viral hepatitis in eastern European and central Asian countries of the WHO European Region.

Strengthening the nursing workforce and integrated care in Czechia 18-12-2019

To support Czechia in strengthening its nursing workforce and the delivery of integrated health services, WHO released a package of focused resources. The launch of the package marked the end of the 2018–2019 biennial collaborative agreement between WHO and Czechia, and the beginning of the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife in 2020.

Alcohol reduction, human resources for health and drug policy on the agenda as Dr Östlin meets Czech Prime Minister and V4 health ministers 18-11-2019

Dr Piroska Östlin, WHO/Europe’s Regional Director ad interim, met with the Prime Minister of Czechia, Andrej Babiš, and Minister of Health, Adam Vojtěch in Prague to discuss cooperation on policies to reduce harmful use of alcohol. During the visit, Dr Östlin also attended the ministerial meeting of the Visegrad Four (V4) countries, discussing human resources for health, drug policy and future cooperation.

Galvanizing action on public health response to dementia in WHO European and Eastern Mediterranean regions 20-09-2019

For the first time, WHO/Europe has convened a workshop dedicated to promoting and supporting dementia policy and planning at the national level. The event, aimed at galvanizing action on the public health response to dementia, was held on 9–10 September 2019 in Malta and involved national experts from 11 countries across the WHO European and Eastern Mediterranean regions (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Jordan, Malta, North Macedonia, Morocco, Qatar, Slovenia, Tunisia and Turkey). The meeting was hosted by WHO and the government of Malta.

The influenza season is over … for now 08-07-2019

The 2018–2019 influenza season in Europe has finally drawn to a close, having begun in late November and peaked between late January and early February. The season was characterized by a dominance of influenza A viruses, with detection of both influenza A virus subtypes – A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) – and very few influenza B viruses.

Ending the use of seclusion and restraint in mental health services in Czechia 08-05-2019

To promote the human rights of people with psychosocial, intellectual and cognitive disabilities, and in an effort to end the continued and excessive practice of seclusion and restraint in mental health services in Czechia, WHO conducted a 2-day workshop on 13–14 February 2019 in Prague.

Responding to Czechia’s ageing population by strengthening the role of nurses in integrated services delivery 30-04-2019

To address Czechia’s challenge of providing health services to its ageing population with changing health needs, the Ministry of Health invited a group of experts to identify ways in which strengthening the role of nurses and scaling up integrated care would support the country in its efforts.

Celebrating universal health coverage across the WHO European Region 17-04-2019

Every year on 7 April, WHO celebrates World Health Day to mark the anniversary of its founding. This year’s celebrations focused on the themes of universal health coverage and primary health care.

V4 countries meet to strengthen collaboration on fighting TB 28-02-2019

WHO representatives and delegations from the Visegrad Four (V4) countries gathered in High Tatras, Slovakia, on 20–21 February 2019 for an expert meeting on health with a specific focus on fighting tuberculosis (TB).

Czech cities and regions celebrate 25 years of working towards better health and well-being for their citizens 26-02-2019

The Czech National Network of Healthy Cities celebrated its 25th anniversary at its annual conference in Prague, Czechia, on 24–25 January 2019. To date, the National Network has over 130 members. The country’s deputy ministers for the environment, health, interior and regional development, as well as the WHO Representative in Czechia, took part in the celebrations.

2018: The WHO European Region’s Year in Review 21-12-2018

The year 2018 was a momentous one for WHO, which celebrated 70 years of working to improve the health and well-being of people around the world. Here is a look back at some of the key moments from the year – highlighting both country-level activities and the collective achievements of the Region, but also emphasizing areas where continued work and even accelerated efforts will be needed to make progress.

Widespread consumption of alcohol and tobacco in Czechia continues to be cause for concern 15-11-2018

In Czechia, consumption of pure alcohol stands at 14.4 litres per person per year, and more than one fifth of the population smokes. This was reported at a conference organized by the Government Council for Drug Policy Coordination on 6 November 2018.

Report confirms Czechia’s health reform agenda is on course 13-11-2018

Following the publication earlier this year of a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Czechia, the Ministry of Health announced that the findings of the report confirm the country’s health reforms are on course.

Lancet: further action needed to realise full health potential of European children and adolescents 01-11-2018

A health policy article based on the WHO progress report “Situation of child and adolescent health in Europe” has been published in the Lancet today. The article assesses the situation in the WHO European Region by summarizing national gains and highlighting areas for further action.

Unravelling the cultural drivers of mental health care reform in central and eastern Europe 28-05-2018

A new publication from WHO/Europe offers insights into the cultural contexts of mental health care and reform in central and eastern Europe (CEE).

Czech Republic and WHO/Europe sign new biennial collaborative agreement 25-05-2018

The WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab and Czech Minister of Health, Mr Adam Vojtěch signed a biennial collaborative agreement (BCA) between WHO/Europe and the Czech Republic for 2018–2019 during the 71st World Health Assembly (WHA) on 21 April 2018. It aims to provide a practical framework for collaboration in line with national health priorities and WHO capacities.

Seventy-first World Health Assembly opens 23-05-2018

Delegations from WHO’s 194 Member States, many of them led by health ministers, have gathered once again in Geneva, Switzerland, for the Seventy-first World Health Assembly on 21–26 May 2018. Its outcome will determine WHO’s direction for the coming 5 years, as countries consider whether to adopt the proposed 13th General Programme of Work 2019–2023 (GPW13).

World Health Day 2018 in the WHO European Region – making health about the people, for the people 09-05-2018

On World Health Day 2018, WHO called on all countries to make universal health coverage (UHC) a political priority, using available evidence and tools to determine their own path to health for all. This year’s World Health Day also marked the 70th anniversary of WHO, and the start of a 2-year campaign to raise awareness and advocate for action towards UHC.

Implementing the 2030 Agenda: case studies from the Regions for Health Network 15-01-2018

As part of its role to support the Member States, the WHO Regions for Health Network (RHN) has identified best practice and relevant experience, which can boost the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2015). This information was recently compiled in a new publication entitled “Sustainable development in Wales and other regions in Europe – achieving health and equity for present and future generations”.

Experts debate strengthening response to domestic violence in Czech Senate 30-10-2017

Czech Senate member, Dr Lumir Kantor, welcomed 45 experts from different sectors to debate domestic violence, at the Czech Senate on 16 October 2017. The meeting had been called by WHO, the Ministry of Health and the Third Faculty of Medicine as part of the biennial collaborative agreement.

Cities and politicians rally for a healthy future 04-10-2017

The WHO European National Healthy Cities Networks annual meeting brought together 33 participants, representing 15 of the 30 national networks, with political leaders in Prague, Czechia, for a packed 3-day programme. The meeting focused on shaping the political direction for the next phase of the work of the Healthy Cities Network, which covers 1300 cities and 165 million people in total, as well as aligning the policy, processes and frameworks of the network.

Countries mark World No Tobacco Day with outreach to all levels of society and across sectors 30-06-2017

Many countries took the opportunity of World No Tobacco Day to plan media events and press conferences in cooperation with national authorities and political figures, including ministers of health and parliamentarians. These events, some of which took place in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation and Tajikistan, led to significant national media coverage across print, television and online media outlets.

Day 3 of Environment and Health Conference: Commitments to advance the agenda in Europe 16-06-2017

After 3 days of discussions and deliberations, the Sixth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health drew to a close. The participants took stock of the progress made on environment and health in the WHO European Region, as well as committing the Region to further action, culminating in the signing of the Ostrava Declaration.

Day 2 of Environment and Health Conference: Addressing inequalities, good governance, rights and resilience 15-06-2017

On the second day of the Sixth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, participants explored the role of communities and national and regional authorities in strengthening resilience. Discussions focused on the global relevance of environment and health policy in Europe and how to stimulate changing patterns of consumption towards sustainable development.

Day 1 of Environment and Health Conference: Taking stock of the past to transform the future 14-06-2017

Opening the Sixth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe, drew parallels between the host city’s industrial past and modern regeneration, and the “transformative spirit of the Agenda for Sustainable Development”. Health and environment experts are gathered in Ostrava, Czech Republic to track progress and prioritize future action on environmental risks to health.

World No Tobacco Day 2017 awards: winners from the WHO European Region 30-05-2017

Every year, WHO recognizes individuals or organizations in each of its 6 regions for their accomplishments in the area of tobacco control. This year, the World No Tobacco Day award winners from the European Region are as follows.

Expert group meets to debate key actions for violence and injury prevention in Czech Republic 13-03-2017

Health information systems in focus in the Czech Republic 20-12-2016

How to better analyse and use health information and technology for planning and political decision-making in the health system was the focus of a recent meeting between Dr Claudia Stein, Director of the Division of Information, Evidence, Research and Innovation of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, and representatives of the Czech Republic’s Ministry of Health and Institute of Health Information and Statistics (ÚZIS) on 29–30 November 2016.

Member States discuss key objectives for environment and health 30-09-2016

The Ad-hoc working group of the European Environment and Health Task Force (EHTF), comprising Member States, partners and stakeholders, met in Frankfurt, Germany on 26 September 2016 to take forward the drafting of outcome documents for the upcoming Sixth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health. Participants at the meeting agreed on how to finalize the drafts that will be shared with all WHO European Member States for national consultations leading up to a meeting of the European Environment and Health Task Force on 29-30 November in Vienna, Austria.

On World Health Day 2016, Czech Republic focuses on diabetes and prevention 29-04-2016

During the World Health Day campaign in the Czech Republic, the WHO Country Office presented the 2016 slogan "Be active – Eat healthy – Follow medical advice – Beat diabetes". The slogan illustrates the key areas where the country should focus political efforts to decrease the risk of diabetes among the population.

Antibiotic awareness drives digital conversation in European countries 16-03-2016

The use of social and other digital media – Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, text messages, video and websites – for health messaging is growing rapidly in the WHO European Region. All 19 of the non-EU countries that participated in the first World Antibiotic Awareness Week (WAAW) in 2015 used digital media to raise awareness about antibiotic resistance. This marks a tremendous change from a couple of years earlier, when only around 10% of these countries used digital media to promote campaigns.

Simulation exercise prepares countries for potential polio outbreak 15-10-2015

With poliovirus circulating perilously close by in Ukraine, polio control professionals from Czech Republic, Hungary, Republic of Moldova, Romania and Slovakia last week participated in a polio outbreak simulation exercise. The exercise was organized by WHO/Europe in Bucharest, Romania and co-facilitated by Public Health England.

Countries of Central and Eastern Europe build cooperation in health with China 11-08-2015

Representatives of 16 countries in central and eastern Europe (CEE) and China met in Prague, Czech Republic, on the occasion of the China–Central and Eastern European Countries Health Ministers Forum on 16–17 June 2015. The Forum was organized to strengthen cooperation in health. During the opening ceremony, participants signed the Prague Declaration, which outlines specific areas of collaboration

Consultation workshop on age-friendly environments in Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia 18-07-2015

As part of implementing their biennial collaborative agreements 2014–2015, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia organized a multicountry workshop to exchange information and experience in implementing policies aimed at improving the health and well-being of their aged populations and to learn about the new European age-friendly environment framework.

Better prepared for health emergencies in Central Europe 08-07-2015

50 health sector officials from 10 central European countries convened for a workshop on risk communications in Chișinău, Republic of Moldova, during the first week of July 2015.

World Health Day 2015: countries across Europe promote food safety 20-05-2015

World Health Day 2015 was an opportunity to recognize the important food safety role of all involved in food production, and to strengthen collaboration and coordination between these different areas to prevent, detect and respond to foodborne diseases.

Region-wide celebration of European Antibiotic Awareness Day 31-12-2014

Antibiotic resistance affects the entire WHO European Region, driven by the overuse, underuse and misuse of antibiotics. Since 2008, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and Member States in the European Region have celebrated European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD) on 18 November to raise awareness of this issue and emphasize every person’s shared responsibility to help prevent it. For the past 3 years, WHO/Europe has joined in marking EAAD, with more countries taking part each year.

World Blood Donor Day in the Czech Republic 15-07-2014

As in previous years, transfusion services and transfusion departments of hospitals in the Czech Republic celebrated World Blood Donor Day in the week of 14 June 2014 through several promotional events organized around the country.

Czech Republic celebrates World No Tobacco Day 25-06-2014

World No Tobacco Day 2014 celebrations in the Czech Republic included a policy dialogue on national tobacco control policies and awareness-raising activities organized at national and local levels across the country.

Spotlight on hand hygiene in the Czech Republic 12-06-2014

As in previous years, the Czech Republic utilized WHO Hand Hygiene Day (5 May) this year to draw attention to the importance of good hand hygiene for the prevention of disease. The activities organized throughout the country contributed to the Ministry of Health’s pledge signed on 23 June 2011 to support measures to reduce health-care-associated infection.

United Nations Secretary-General calls for sustained focus on climate change 22-04-2014

During a visit to the Czech Republic on 3–4 April 2014, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon met with top Czech officials and United Nations staff to discuss pressing issues for the country.

Adverse childhood experiences survey among young people in the Czech Republic 23-12-2013

The Ministry of Health of Czech Republic held a press conference and policy dialogue on prevention of child maltreatment on 24 October 2013 in Prague. The events were organized in close collaboration with WHO Regional office for Europe.

World No Tobacco Day celebrated at the Parliament of the Czech Republic 13-06-2013

The Senate Chamber of the Parliament of the Czech Republic was the venue for a World No Tobacco Day seminar organized by the Society of Smoking Cessation and the WHO Country Office, Czech Republic, on 28 May 2013.

Czech Republic enjoys a lively Road Safety Week 27-05-2013

The Czech Republic’s United Nations Global Road Safety Week kicked off on Monday 6 May 2013 in Central Park in Prague with fun family activities. Visitors to the Park tried out the driving simulator for cars and motorbikes and the city police created a traffic playground for schoolchildren. A car crash simulator demonstrated the importance of seat belts and an exhibition by the nongovernmental organization LitCom offered the opportunity to experience a simulation of drink–driving.

Publications on health promotion in hospitals now available in Czech language 21-02-2013

Three key WHO/Europe documents have been translated and recently released in the Czech language: "Implementing health promotion in hospitals: Manual and self-assessment forms";  "Health promotion in hospitals: Evidence and quality management"; and "The International Network of Health Promoting Hospitals and Health Services: Integrating health promotion into hospitals and health services – Concepts, framework and organization".

Czech Republic most recent Party to the WHO FCTC 04-07-2012

The Czech Republic ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) on 1 June 2012 to become the 176th Party, with entry into force on 30 August 2012. In the WHO European Region, 49 countries and the European Community are Parties to the Treaty, with Czech Republic and Uzbekistan as the most recent Parties in 2012.

Czech Republic resolves to survey adverse childhood experiences and endorses Action for Road Safety 05-06-2012

The Czech Republic Intersectoral Steering Committee met at the Ministry of Health on 29 May.

Czech Republic’s Minister of Health signs agreement with WHO 07-03-2012

Dr Leos Heger, Minister of Health of the Czech Republic, visited Denmark on 1 March 2012. He both visited the WHO Collaborating Centre for Evidence-based Health Promotion in Hospitals and Health Services, at Bispebjerg University Hospital in Copenhagen, and signed a biennial collaborative agreement for 2012–2013 with WHO/Europe.

WHO/Europe strengthens national capacity in emergency preparedness 05-03-2012

Participants from eight countries in the WHO European Region took part in a workshop to train trainers to establish and develop national programmes to build capacity for risk reduction and the management of public health emergencies.

National seminar calls for better prevention of child self-harm in the Czech Republic 02-12-2011

The Czech Minister of Health, Dr Leos Heger, and the Head of the WHO Country Office, Dr Alena Steflova opened a national seminar on child self-harm and violence prevention in Prague, Czech Republic, on 14 November 2011, which was attended by about 50 stakeholders from various sectors.

Tackling tobacco control in the Czech Republic - the value of social determinants for health 07-10-2011

Opening of exhibition: “Antibiotics – an Endangered Treasure of Humankind": Prague, Czech Republic, 21 June 2011 26-07-2011

The opening ceremony and press conference of the exhibition, attended by WHO/Europe staff, were held at the National Museum of the Czech Republic in Prague.

World No Tobacco Day in the Czech Republic 16-06-2011

A press conference and seminar in the Parliament of the Czech Republic were held today, 31 May 2011, World No Tobacco Day, to present current statistics of the consequences of smoking, the petition for the ban of smoking in restaurants as well as reasons why the Czech Republic should ratify the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control finally and support tobacco dependence treatment.

United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon visits the Czech Republic 03-05-2011

The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon visited the Czech Republic on 14-17 April 2011.

Hand Hygiene Day in Czech Republic: hand hygiene saves lives 02-05-2011

On 5 May in the Czech Republic Hand Hygiene Day will be celebrated with the campaign “Save lives, wash your hands”.

World Health Day 2011 in the Czech Republic 29-04-2011

World Health Day was celebrated in the Czech Republic with a launch of the campaign “Clean care is safer care.

Three Czech Healthy Cities win 2010 Livcom Awards 18-01-2011

The WHO European Healthy Cities Network congratulates the three Czech Healthy Cities, Chrudim, Mladá Boleslav and Tábor, who won 2010 Livcom Awards. The international competition of the Livcom Awards is endorsed by the UN and recognizes cities for their achievements in the field of environmental protection and cultural heritage, sustainable development of the communities, healthy lifestyle or strategic planning. The competition's criteria focus on assessment of the quality of inhabitants' life and enforcement of sustainable development principles and its three pillars - economic, social and environmental.

World No Tobacco Day 2010: national conference 25-05-2010

The WHO Country Office, Czech Republic in cooperation with the Czech Alliance Against Respiratory Diseases, Czech Initiative for Asthma, Czech Civil Association Against Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is organizing an event in the Pantheon of the National Museum in Prague, Czech Republic on 25 May, to present WHO’s role in fighting respiratory diseases and ways to prevent and treat respiratory illnesses. The event will be organized on the occasion of the Year of the Lung (2010) and World No Tobacco Day 2010.

An Anniversary Exhibition “The Death of Smallpox”, 20 April 2010 21-04-2010

The WHO Country Office, Czech Republic has organized an exhibition at the National Museum in Prague from 21 April to 17 October 2010, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the global eradication of smallpox. The exhibition is organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic and partners including the National Museum, Medical Museum of the National Medical Library, Czech and Slovakian epidemiologists involved in the WHO eradication programme, National Institute of Public Health, Czech Medical Association, Czech Society for Epidemiology and Microbiology, and the Slovakian Epidemiological and Vaccinological Society.

European Immunization Week 2010: a National Conference “The Past and Present of WHO Eradication Efforts” 20-04-2010

For European Immunization Week (EIW), the WHO Country Office held a conference at the National Museum in Prague, on 20 April 2010, on WHO’s eradication efforts: historical successes and future challenges. Participants described not only the WHO smallpox eradication programme but also challenges in maintaining polio-free status and eradicating measles and rubella.