News

Breakthrough WHO initiative launched in Europe to engage and empower civil society organizations in health emergency responses 16-06-2021

Throughout the pandemic, civil society organizations (CSOs) have been crucial partners in reducing the impacts of COVID-19 on individuals and communities, particularly those in hard-to-reach vulnerable groups. The direct participation of CSOs – from planning through to the implementation and evaluation stages of preparedness, readiness and response – has also helped reinforce the actions of governments and has been a key factor in encouraging citizens to comply with guidance.

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.

Coronavirus and pregnancy – preserving maternal health across the European Region 30-06-2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed many health systems to the brink, resulting in non-urgent care being deprioritized to make way for thousands of COVID-19 patients. However, there are some areas that cannot wait, and one of them is maternal health.

Resilience needed as COVID-19 measures shift, WHO tells countries 26-05-2020

How to live with COVID-19 was the main topic on the agenda at a virtual meeting of 34 Member States of the WHO European Region. With almost every country in the Region affected by the pandemic to a greater or lesser degree, countries need to work together to reduce the impact on society and to build resilience going forwards.

“Nurses are the heart of our health-care system”: Shoshy Goldberg, Government Chief Nursing Officer, Israel 11-05-2020

“I want nurses to be strong and independent, to lead and be involved at all levels of decision-making,” says Government Chief Nursing Officer (GCNO) Shoshy Goldberg, from the Israeli Ministry of Health.

Best practices for infection prevention and control, with a spotlight on COVID-19: countries share experiences 03-03-2020

Every year, defective infection prevention and control (IPC) practices in everyday health care cause harm to millions of patients worldwide. Health care associated infections (HAI) are among the most common complications of hospital stays and include infections that are resistant to antimicrobials. No country, area or health system can claim to be free of HAIs.

Countries put a spotlight on lung health on World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 15-07-2019

During the 2019 WNTD campaign, countries took the opportunity to raise awareness about the negative impact of tobacco on people’s lung health. Activities included a flash mob, a mobile clinic for measuring lung function, press conferences, quizzes and cessation tips, and an open-air yoga event. In the WHO European Region, 90% of lung cancers could be avoided by eliminating tobacco use.

WHO honours tobacco control champions in the European Region 31-05-2019

Every year on 31 May, World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) raises awareness of the health risks associated with tobacco use. In 2019, the focus is on lung health. More than 40% of all tobacco-related deaths are due to lung diseases such as cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and tuberculosis. Lung health is central in the battle for a smoke-free world.

Clean care – the everyday measure to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from health emergencies 02-05-2019

Hand Hygiene Day on 5 May is a chance to promote the “Clean hands save lives” campaign. Everyone has the right to expect clean care, whether that care is administered in a field hospital, a care home or a state-of-the-art operating theatre. The simple act of cleaning hands is part of a bigger picture that includes emergency preparedness, outbreak control and the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

International Women’s Day: women in health innovating for change 07-03-2019

The theme for International Women’s Day 2019 – “Think equal, build smart, innovate for change” – underscores the important role that women and girls have in building more inclusive systems, efficient services and sustainable infrastructure to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Supporting the development of a national strategy for improving quality of care in Belarus 06-03-2019

With the aim of supporting the development and implementation of a national strategy for improving the quality of health care in Belarus, WHO conducted a 2-day workshop on 17–18 January 2019 in the Brest region of the country. The event was an opportunity to build the capacities of national stakeholders and policy-makers working on quality of care by sharing international evidence and best practices in this area.

Health ministers of south-eastern Europe meet to share good practices, discuss health challenges 12-07-2018

Ministers of health from the 9 member states of the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) and the partner state of Slovenia gathered in Tel Aviv, Israel, on 10 July 2018 for a meeting focused on ensuring primary health care for an ageing population.

Seventy-first World Health Assembly comes to a close after charting a new course for WHO 29-05-2018

The Seventy-first World Health Assembly took place on 21–26 May 2018 in Geneva, Switzerland. Over the course of the 6 days, delegates charted a new course for the Organization.

Delegates at World Health Assembly agree on new 5-year strategic plan 25-05-2018

World Health Assembly delegates have agreed on an ambitious new strategic plan for the next 5 years. The WHO’s 13th General Programme of Work (GPW) is designed to help the world achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – with a particular focus on SDG3: ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages by 2030.

European Immunization Week helps highlight and boost the positive impact of vaccines 17-05-2018

From immunization superheroes to supermoms, countless individuals helped ensure that European Immunization Week (EIW) on 23–29 April 2018 was a great success in keeping vaccines at the top of political and personal agendas across the WHO European Region.

Professionalism and pride – the nurses who lead emergency response in Israel 07-05-2018

Israel's health-care system benefits from teams of advanced professional nurses dedicated to managing the treatment of the injured, both in routine and emergency mass casualty situations. Nurses play an important leadership role in the multidisciplinary teams that implement hospitals’ guidelines for emergency response.

WHO Director-General calls for health to be used as a bridge for peace between Israel and Palestine 20-03-2018

World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus concluded his first visit to Israel by recognizing the progress made in the Israeli health system, and calling for health to be used as a “bridge for peace”.

12 European countries commit to greater efforts to protect people from vaccine-preventable diseases 23-02-2018

Health ministries of 12 countries in south-eastern Europe and beyond have endorsed a statement of intent to speed up progress towards the goals and strategic objectives of the European Vaccine Action Plan 2015–2020 (EVAP).

South-eastern European countries meet to develop regional action plan 19-02-2018

The countries of south‐eastern Europe (SEE) are coming together in Podgorica, Montenegro on 21 February 2018 to develop a regional action plan for the next 2 years with specific strategic objectives and activities to implement the Chisinau Pledge.

South-eastern Europe Health Network: health promotion for children in focus 01-12-2017

Members of the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) agreed to enhance regional efforts to improve children’s health by promoting healthy lifestyles and addressing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) at the Network’s 39th plenary meeting.

World Health Assembly Day 4: polio, pandemic influenza preparedness and health workforce in focus 29-05-2017

On Day 4 of the World Health Assembly, delegates made decisions relating to poliomyelitis (polio), the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework and the health workforce. Side events focused on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

World Health Assembly Day 3: WHO priorities aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 26-05-2017

Delegates at the World Health Assembly approved the Organization’s proposed programme budget of US$4421.5 million for the biennium 2018-2019. This proposed budget sets out the Organization’s priorities in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. It includes increased investments in the new WHO Health Emergencies Programme and combatting antimicrobial resistance.

Further commitment of south-eastern Europe countries to noncommunicable disease prevention and control voiced in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova 27-04-2017

A pre-forum meeting on the prevention and control of noncommunicable disease (NCD) was held on 2 April 2017, in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, in advance of the fourth South-eastern Europe Health Ministerial Forum. The Forum, which took place on 3–4 April, focused on bringing health ministers together to discuss pathways to closer partnership, under the theme ‘Health, well-being and prosperity in south-eastern Europe by 2030 in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’.

Ministers examine options to strengthen health systems response to communicable diseases 26-04-2017

At a meeting of the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) countries, health ministers discussed approaches and strategies to strengthen the health systems response to communicable diseases. The meeting took place on 2 April 2017 in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, in association with the 4th South-Eastern Europe Health Ministerial Forum.

Examples of investing in health from the South-eastern Europe Health Network 03-04-2017

The 9 countries of the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) share a vision of promoting health as an integral part of economic development. In addition to participating in intercountry initiatives, each country is investing in health and generating results that inform other network members. On 3–4 April 2017, the 4th South-eastern Europe Health Ministerial Forum takes place in the Republic of Moldova.

Regional Director visits Israel to further strengthen collaboration 14-03-2017

On 6–8 March 2017 Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe, visited Israel for discussions on a wide range of important health topics. During her visit she met with a number of high-ranking officials, including Mr Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel; Rabbi Yakov Litzman, Minister of Health; Mr Moshe Bar Siman Tov, Director-General, Ministry of Health; Ms Einav Shimron, Deputy Director-General of Information and International Relations, Ministry of Health; Mr Zeev Elkin, Minister for Environmental Protection; and Mr Eli Alaluf, Chairman of the Health Committee of the Knesset, among others.

Expansion of molecular diagnostics in the WHO European Polio Laboratory Network 14-02-2017

WHO/Europe has offered support to all laboratories in the WHO European Polio Laboratory Network to increase their poliovirus diagnostic capacities by upgrading to poliovirus intratypic differentiation (ITD). As a first step towards ITD implementation, WHO/Europe organized a hands-on workshop on 23–26 January 2017 in Tel Hashomer, Israel, for 11 virologists from WHO-accredited national polio labs in Albania, Belarus, France, Ireland, Israel, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

Influenza A(H5N8) virus detected in birds in several countries in the WHO European Region 24-11-2016

Since June 2016, several countries in the WHO European Region have reported infections of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N8) in wild birds and/or domestic poultry, including Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Israel, the Netherlands, Poland, the Russian Federation and Switzerland.

Opening day of World Health Assembly: 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in focus 24-05-2016

WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan opened the Sixty-ninth World Health Assembly with words of celebration, warning and hope.Dr Chan celebrated recent progress in global public health, particularly in combating HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and poliomyelitis, as well as in improving maternal and child health. But she warned that the recent outbreaks of Ebola, MERS coronavirus, Zika and urban yellow fever signalled a "dramatic resurgence of the threat from emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases".

Positive feedback on the health financing course on universal health coverage 13-05-2016

The sixth WHO Barcelona Course on Health Financing took place on 14–18 March 2016 in Barcelona, Spain. Built on the theme of universal health coverage, the course reviewed ways to improve health systems' performance through better policy on health financing.

Scientific community exchanges experience on polio eradication 31-03-2016

The WHO Country Office in Ukraine and the Ministry of Health hosted a national conference on polio eradication on 16–17 March 2016 in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Israel is in the midst of numerous health reform efforts 10-03-2016

As described in the new Israel HiT health system review, the Israeli health system is considered quite efficient. The HiT will be launched in Jerusalem in collaboration with the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute and the Israel National Institute for Health Policy Research.

WHO/Europe meeting on mental health: community care and de-institutionalization 15-12-2015

WHO, in partnership with the Regional Health Development Center on Mental Health, held a meeting on community care and de-institutionalization of mental health, hosted by Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo on 19–20 November 2015.

Universal health coverage top of agenda for South-eastern Europe Health Network 15-12-2015

"Universal health coverage is a foundation stone for preventing poverty and addressing inequities. Health is a right. We have addressed health coverage throughout the history of the network, from the Dubrovnik Pledge, the Banja Luka Pledge, through to the South-eastern Europe 2020 Strategy," said Ilir Beqaj, Minister of Health of Albania, at the opening of the 36th plenary and high-level meeting of the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN), held in Tirana, Albania, on 10–11 December 2015.

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.

Health ministers in South-eastern Europe commit to achieving universal health coverage 26-06-2015

Ministers from 10 countries in the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) met in Belgrade on 22-23 June 2015 and agreed on joint regional and national actions towards securing universal health coverage. In addition to promoting an equitable Europe free of impoverishing health expenditures, the Belgrade Statement, endorsed by the ministers, also commits the countries to promote and scale up political commitment to implementing Health 2020 and agree on more specific regional actions for strengthening human resources for health and coordinating cross-border support in public health emergencies.

Stronger action required on environmental pollutants 20-04-2015

Children and women of reproductive age remain at risk from exposure to toxic metals and persistent organic pollutants, according to a new report to be presented at the WHO mid-term review of the European Environment and Health Process in Haifa, Israel, on 28–30 April 2015.

Countries of South-eastern Europe come together to discuss common policy approaches to health and migration 01-04-2015

On 19-20 March 2015, representatives from the Ministries of Health of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Israel, the United Nations Administered Province of Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia met in Tirana, Albania, for a two-day workshop on public health policies for migration.

Ministers reaffirm commitment to the South-eastern Europe Health Network 24-11-2014

Ten health ministers met in Skopje, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on 18 November 2014, to underline their commitment to subregional collaboration and discuss health reform in line with Health 2020, the European policy for health and well-being, and the South East Europe (SEE) 2020 Strategy: Jobs and Prosperity in a European Perspective.

34th plenary meeting of the South-eastern Europe Health Network held in Skopje 24-11-2014

The Macedonian Presidency of the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) organized and hosted the network’s 34th Plenary Meeting in Skopje, Macedonia, on 19-20 November 2014.

South-eastern Europe Health Network reviews long-term strategies for improving public health in the subregion 30-09-2014

The Romanian Presidency of the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) organized and hosted the Network’s 33rd  Plenary Meeting in Bucharest, Romania, on 10–11 July 2014.

Highlights of day 1 – Focus on more equitable, sustainable health for Europe 15-09-2014

“Our aim will be better health for Europe, more equitable and sustainable,” said Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe, in her address to representatives of all 53 Member States in the WHO European Region.

WHO sends mission to Israel following detection of wild poliovirus in sewage 01-07-2013

As requested by Israeli health authorities, a team of international poliomyelitis (polio) experts, coordinated by WHO, completed a five-day mission to Israel on 26 June 2013. The team assessed the risks and recommended action following the detection of wild poliovirus type 1 in sewage in the Southern District of the country. No cases of paralytic polio have been detected.

World Health Assembly, day 2: General Programme of Work for next 6 years approved 23-05-2013

The World Health Assembly approved a resolution on the General Programme of Work and changes to the financial regulations and rules on 21 May 2013.

Countries of south-eastern Europe build capacity in global health diplomacy 28-08-2012

SEEHN - Representatives of countries of the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) gathered in Debrecen, Hungary on 21–25 August 2012 to participate in a global health diplomacy executive course to explore their common interests in health as a foreign policy issue.

World Health Assembly, day 2: resolution on noncommunicable diseases approved 24-05-2012

A resolution on strengthening noncommunicable disease policies to promote active ageing was approved by countries on the second day of WHO’s global annual meeting.

First day of World Health Assembly focuses on universal health-care coverage 22-05-2012

The Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly, WHO’s annual global meeting of ministers and senior health officials, opened yesterday. In her opening address, Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General, emphasized the importance of universal coverage.

Moldovan health specialists attend noncommunicable diseases training course in Israel 08-03-2012

Eleven health specialists from the Republic of Moldova attended a training of trainers course on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and their prevention from 20 to 29 February 2012 at the Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Hebrew University-Hadassah, Israel. 

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.