Third SEE Ministers of Health Forum Held in Banja Luka, BiH, 13-14 October 2011

The 3rd SEE Ministers of Health Forum "Health in All Policies in the SEE: A Shared Goal and Responsibility" took place in Banja Luka, BiH, on 13-14 October 2011. The Forum brought together higest representatives of the SEE Health Network Member and Partner Countries and Organizations of the European region.

Family photo of Forum participants

The Forum reviewed the performance of the SEEHN in the last decade, and approved the Banja Luka Pledge that outlines the future cooperation of the SEE countries and partners on Health in All Policies.

You can read or download the text of the Banja Luka (2011) Pledge here.

SEEHN Member Countries representatives sign the Banja Luka Pledge

SEEHN Partner Countries and Organizations representatives sign the Banja Luka Pledge

Banja Luka Pledge Signed

Banja Luka Pledge Signatures

The representatives of the SEEHN member countries also signed amendments to the MoU on the future of the SEEHN and the regional cooperation in public health, originally signed by the SEE Ministers of Health in 2008. These amendments regulate the procedures for new potential members to apply and join the SEEHN. At the same time the SEEHN member countries representatives approved the application of the State of Israel to become the 10th member of the SEEHN.

You can read or download the amendments to the MoU by clicking here.

SEEHN member country representatives after signing the MoU amendments

The program of the 3rd SEE Ministers of Health Forum can be read or downloaded here.


The complete list of presentations held during the 3rd Forum is listed below by sessions:


Session 1:

Welcome address
Dr Piotr Mierzewski, Council of Europe

The European Health Policy “Health 2020”: Setting up the Vision
Zsuzsanna Jakab, Regional Director, WHO/Europe


Session 2:

A decade of Alliance for Public Health in SEE
For the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Professor Ranko Skrbic


Session 3:

HiAP and Social Determinants for Health and Inequalities
Dr Erio Ziglio, WHO Regional Office for Euro

HiAP in SEE: current status, challenges and opportunities
Ms Desislava Dimitrova, Deputy Minister of Health, Bulgaria

Good practices in HiAP: the case of Finland
Ms Taru Koivisto, Director, Department for Promotion of Welfare and Health, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland


Session 4:

Mobilizing sectors and communities for Public Health: the case of Slovenia
Dr Vesna-Kerstin Petric, Head of the Health Promotion and Healthy Lifestyle Division, Ministry of Health, Slovenia

Contribution to the the environment and health process across Europe
Ms Marta Szigeti Bonifert, Regional Environmental Center


Session 5:

Global and European policies and actions
Dr Gauden Galea, Director, Division of Noncommunicable Diseases and Health Promotion, WHO Regional Office for Europe


SEE response: NCD and PHS capacities, challenges, policies and actions
Dr Andrej Usatii, Minister of Health, Republic of Moldova


Session 6:

Presentation of the Banja Luka Pledge
For Presidency of the SEEHN: Professor Ranko Skrbic, Minister of Health and Social Welfare of the Republika Srpska


You can read or download the text of Banja Luka (2011) Pledge by clicking here.