Evaluation of public health services in south-eastern Europe

Today all countries face re-emerging and new health threats on a local and global level. These include rising rates of communicable diseases alongside new health threats associated with lifestyle and socioeconomic factors. Public health services focused on health promotion, health protection and disease prevention are an ever more important tool in combating health threats and addressing the causes and consequences of ill health. Yet in the past two decades both public health as a discipline and public health services in Europe have faced unprecedented challenges.

Public health in the countries of South-eastern Europe (SEE) has a long tradition but has undergone extensive reform during and since the period of transition. This report examines the current state of public health in the nine SEE countries and analyses the challenges they face and their potential solutions. The report is the outcome of a comprehensive self assessment and evaluation of public health services undertaken as part of the Strengthening Public Health Services Project of the South-eastern Europe Health Network.