Health technologies and pharmaceuticals (HTP) programme annual report 2013 (2014)

2014

Access to essential, quality health technologies (HT) – medicines, medical devices and other essential health products and technologies – is a fundamental part of every person’s right to health.

Equitable universal access to quality HT as well as their rational and ethical use should be assured through the health systems for individual and community wellbeing. The organization and capacity of national health systems varies widely across the WHO European Region with lots of challenges in general and in national policies, access, rational use, health financing, regulation and quality assurance in particular. Tackling these challenges is particularly important in the times of economic crisis.

The current report summarizes the 2013 work of the Health Technologies and Pharmaceuticals (HTP) team of WHO Regional Office for Europe in supporting Member States to address their challenges and contributing to health in the WHO European Region, in line with Health 2020.

During 2013 HTP team continued implementation of country work  based on the best  available practices and though networking with experts, taking into consideration the existing potential of both eastern and  western parts of the Region.

Much of our work was possible through the contribution of the  Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport of the  Netherlands and the Norwegian Health Directorate. Additionally the team has been receiving support from WHO Collaborating centres and expertise from individuals and governments across the WHO European Region. The achieved results proved that cross-regional collaboration is instrumental in advancing national policies, access, rational use, regulation and quality assurance.