SEEHN meets in Tel Aviv, Israel, 10-11 December 2012

"The SEE Health Network held its semi-annual plenary meeting on 10 and 11 December in Tel Aviv, Israel.  Ambassadors of the SEEHN Member States Serbia, Croatia and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia took part at this meeting and this will be further employed as regular SEEHN practice focused at strengthening health diplomacy and the political component of the regional cooperation in public health in the SEE in line with the SEEHN Banja Luka Pledge (2011).

SEEHN scaled up partnerships for public health signing Memorandum of Understanding with Project HOPE, focusing on further implementation of the Banja Luka Pledge II pillar on equity and accountability in health through practicing health in all policies approach. The Plenary reviewed significant action performed, based on the Israeli Presidency report presented.

Dr Joanna Nurse presented an overview of H2020 and the European Action Plan on strengthening public health services and as a group, discussed concrete how to co-ordinate planning over the coming years to align the work of the SEEHN to Health 2020 and to adapt the EAP for strengthening public health to the setting and priorities of the SEEHN.

A workshop on further implementation of the Banja Luka Pledge II pillar on equity and accountability in health through practicing health in all policies approach was held. Dr. Chris Brown outlined different approaches to improving policies and partnership working across other sectors in order to improve health and address inequalities in health. Next steps were identified regarding how to take this work forward in the SEEHN.

The Plenary elected a new Executive Committee after 6 years of the extended mandate of Mrs. Snezhana Chichevalieva as a Chair, and the retirement of Dr. Maria Ruseva from WHO/EURO. Dr. Goran Cherkez will perform as a Chair of the Executive Committee in 2013.

SEEHN continues to develop and strengthen its independent sub-regional structures: The Deputy Minister Jovica Andovski from the Host Country of the SEEHN Secretariat reported at the Plenary that the Secretariat has been registered as an international entity and preparations for the inauguration event have been already started. The Secretariat will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister of the Host Country, Mr. Nikola Gruevski, in the presence of the Regional Director of the WHO/EURO, the Ambassadors, heads of the international organisations that are SEEHN partners, Minister of Health of Slovenia, as the representative of the  SEEHN partner countries and other high level political and technical persons from the SEEHN member states and SEE regional cooperation structures, on 3-4 February 2013, in Skopje, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia". “We are happy to host the Seat of the Secretariat and to provide for the implementation of the SEEHN Agreement on the Arrangements for the Seat of the Secretariat that was ratified by the Macedonian Parliament and signed by other 9 member States”- Deputy Minister Jovica Andovski said.

SEEHN eHiAP meeting in Slovenia

South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) organized a meeting on equity in Health in All Policies (eHiAP) in Moravske Toplice, Slovenia, on 7-8 November 2012.
Hosted by the Ministry of Health of Slovenia and facilitated by the WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development (WHO Venice Office), the meeting was designed for technical focal points and experts from each Member State that implements equity in Health in All Policies (eHiAP). This meeting activity falls under the umbrella of the SEEHN Regional Health Development Center (RHDC) on Strengthening Public Health Services based in Skopje, The Former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia. In addition, directors of the SEEHN RHDCs on human resources in health, blood safety, accreditation and quality of care and non-communicable diseases participated, thus making the meeting an exercise of the HiAP in itself.( Annex 1: List of Participants).

Health in All Policies (HiAP) addresses complex challenges of health and well-being by promoting an integrated policy response across sector and portfolio boundaries, incorporating concern for health and health equity impacts into the policy development process of all sectors and agencies. The Banja Luka Pledge signed in 2011 reinforced the Region’s commitment for advancing the HiAP approach. In this view, the meeting had the overall aim to support SEEHN countries to advance implementation of the second pillar of the Banja Luka Pledge on HiAP: Achieving equity and accountability in health.


Click here to read or download the report.

SEEHN plenary meeting in Israel

"SEE Health Network will gather for its semiannual plenary meeting on 10 and 11 December in Tel Aviv, Israel.  Ambassadors of the 10  SEEHN  Member States are invited to take part at this meeting and this will be further employed as regular SEEHN practice focused at strengthening political component of the regional cooperation in public health in the SEE.

SEEHN scales up partnerships for public health signing Memorandum of Understanding with Project HOPE, focusing on further implementation of the Banja Luka Pledge II pillar on equity and accountability in health through practicing health in all policies approach. The Plenary will take forward SEEHN action on H2020 and the European Action Plan on strengthening public health services.

SEEHN continues to develop and strengthen its independent sub-regional structures: The SEEHN Secretariat has been registered as an international entity and preparations for the inauguration event will be reviewed at this Plenary Meeting.The Secretariat will be inaugurated in the presence of the Regional Director of the WHO/EURO,the Ambassadors and other high level political and technical persons from the SEEHN member states and SEE regional cooperation structures,  on 5-6 February 2013,  in Skopje, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"

Southeastern Europe Health Network’ Regional Health Development Centre for Accreditation and Continuous Health Care Quality Improvement Officially Inaugurated

Southeastern Europe Health Network’s Regional Health Development Centre (RHDC) for Accreditation and Continuous Quality Improvement was officially opened within the framework of the Agency for Accreditation of Health Care Institutions in Serbia, on October 4, 2012 in Belgrade.

Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic, PhD, Minister of Health of the Republic of Serbia in her keynote address, highlighted that the work of South-eastern Europe Health Network’s Regional Health Development Centre for Accreditation and Continuous Quality Improvement will ensure a base for further improving healthcare services and public health in the SEE.
Establishment of Regional Health Development Centres guarantees sustainability and long-term implementation of cooperation programmes in health, exchange of experiences and good practices, harmonization of standards and establishing guidelines, the Minister stressed.

The meeting was also addressed by Dr. Goran Čerkez,  Acting Chair of the SEEHN Executive Committee, Dr. Nand Shani, from the Regional Cooperation Council,  Ms. Antje Rothemund, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade , Mr. Loup Brefort, Country Manager of the World Bank in Serbia and Dr. Dorit Nitzan Kaluski, Head of WHO Country Office in Serbia. The conference was also attended by H.E. Mr. Vincent Degert, Head of Delegation of the European Union to Serbia. Following this, the presentation of the state of art of the SEEHN was delivered by Ms. Snezhana Chichevalieva, WHO representative to the SEEHN. The new RHDC was presented by Dr. Snezana Manic, director of Agency for Accreditation of Health Care Institutions of Serbia.

Following the official inauguration of the Centre, workshop of the SEEHN national focal points to the RHDC from the 10 SEEHN member states was held. The workshop focussed on sharing information on patient safety, presenting the basic principles of quality of care and risk management in health care, including the role of efficient communication and monitoring. Thus, this RHDC has already created network of experts to share experiences and exchange information relevant to the SEEHN member states.

The event was organized by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia and the Agency for Accreditation of Health Care Institutions in Serbia, with the support from the World Health Organization, Regional office for Europe.

First Transplantation in Montenegro under Croatian RHDC Leadership - Historical Event for Advancing Transplantation in the Balkan Region through the Framework of the South Eastern Europe Health Network

Croatian Minister of Health Rajko Ostojic and a team of 10 Croatian Transplant doctors and delegates arrived in Podgorica, Montenegro on September 24, 2012 to assist Montenegrin doctors in conducting the first ever organ transplantation in the country. The procedure which took place on September 25^th was the first living related kidney transplantation in Montenegro, with a 43 year old mother donating a kidney to her 25 year old son. The transplantation was successful, and both mother and son are recovering well. The second living related kidney transplantation took place the next day, immediately following the first as Croatian doctors were on site to assist their Montenegrin colleagues for a mother to donate a kidney to her young daughter. The operations were performed at the University Hospital Montenegro under the supervision of Professor Marina Ratkovic, nephrologist, who has been spearheading transplantation efforts in the country and leading the newly established Montenegrin kidney transplant team.

Minister Ostojic and the Croatian team of doctors and delegates were graciously welcomed by Montenegrin Minister of Health Miodrag Radunovic and country experts. A press conference was held detailing the historical occasion and a reaffirmation by both countries to continue collaborative work in advancing the newly established Montenegrin transplant program and focusing on deceased donation as a future priority.

These landmark events are the direct result of the Regional Health Development Center (RHDC) Croatia led by RHDC Croatia Director Dr. Mirela Busic under the framework of the South Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) in partnership with the World Health Organization. The Transplantation Society (TTS), The European Society for Organ Transplantation (ESOT) and its chapter the European Transplant Coordinators Organisation (ETCO-EDC), the International Society for Organ Donation and Procurement (ISODP), and the European Commission have served as expert advisors to the RHDC Croatia and region to lend expertise and support for the SEEHN Initiative on Deceased Donation. Since the inception of the RHDC Croatia in February 2011, several educational workshops and meetings have been organized to provide professional expertise and technical assistance to SEEHN countries. The ongoing exchange of experience between Montenegro, Croatia, and international experts as facilitated by the RHDC Croatia enabled this historical event only a year and half after collaborative efforts began. Prior to this, patients had been sent to Moscow and Pakistan for transplantations.

In May of 2012, Prof. Francis Delmonico of the Transplantation Society, Dr. Busic, and RHDC Croatia Project Manager Lydia Raley conducted an onsite visit to Montenegro to meet with Ministry representatives and transplant professionals, offering support and expert guidance for launching a national transplant program in Montenegro. Shortly thereafter in June of 2012, the First Ministerial Conference on Organ Donation and Transplantation was held in Zagreb. Minister of Health Ostojic invited Ministers of Health from ten SEEHN countries to partake in addressing the current status transplantation in South Eastern Europe, encouraging collaboration and emphasizing Croatia’s continued support for advancing sustainable regional transplant and donation activities.

Historical First Living Related Kidney Organ Transplantation in Montenegro

Croatian Minister of Health Ostojic with Montenegrin Minister of Health Radunovic

Lydia Raley

RHDC Croatia, Project Manager

raley.lydia@gmail.com (primary)

Raley.LydiaMaria@miz.hr (alternate)

Mobile: +385 95 841 2592 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting FREE +385 95 841 2592 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

SKYPE: lstruich

Regional Health Development Center (RHDC) Croatia

on Organ Donation and Transplant Medicine

REPUBLIC OF CROATIA - MINISTRY OF HEALTH

Institute for Transplantation and Biomedicine

Ksaver 200a - 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia

Tel. +385 (1) 4607 538 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting FREE +385 (1) 4607 538 end_of_the_skype_highlighting - Fax+385 (1) 4610 841 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting FREE +385 (1) 4610 841 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

http://www.miz.hr/

SEEHN statement on Strategy and Action Plan on Healthy Ageing during WHO RC62, Malta

Joint Statement

Of the South East European Health Network

on Draft resolution Strategy and action plan on healthy ageing in Europe, 2012–2020 EUR/RC62/Conf.Doc./4, Malta, September 2012

Mr. Chairman, thank you for giving me the floor.

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the 10 member States of the SEE Health Network, who have associated themselves with this statement: Albania, Bulgaria. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Israel, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Republic of Macedonia, Romania and Serbia.

There is no doubt in the European Region of WHO concerning the issue of aging. We have to look at the extension of longevity of human life as a sign of success not only for the improved social and economic situation of our citizens and residents. But we have to put on high pedestal the contribution of public health and primary care services and the health care services as a whole. One can survey our clinics and hospitals, not mentioned the rehabilitation centers, in order to realize that the patient- mix is changing and the population is graying. In the same time the old population has become more and more active and the old olds are suffering from NCD and the health care resources are spend on them.

Therefore the SEE HN would like to complement the secretariat for the "Strategy and action plan for healthy ageing in Europe, 2012–2020" which is published in the document EUR/RC62/10. We find the approach expressed in the document comprehensive, taking into consideration the whole walks of life of the elderly citizens: it has the right balance between prevention of both communicable and non communicable diseases, secondary and tertiary prevention in order to give not only "more years to life" but also "more life to years" as the old slogan of WHO has reiterated.

All this is well reflected in the Draft resolution Strategy and action plan on healthy ageing in Europe, 2012–2020 EUR/RC62/Conf.Doc./4.

Furthermore the document and the draft resolution reflect the new culture which should be adopted in the WHO/Euro – it is well connected in synergy .with the Health 2020 Strategy and the public health Action Plan. This important strategy that applies to the fast growing sub-population in Europe, is an excellent example how to curve different strategies in the future. The secretariat and the experts from the various MS who have contributed to the strategy and the document should be praised by all of us. The proof of the strategy is in the implementation. It is the core business both of the WHO/Euro Headquarters as well as the individual MS and the question is to find the proper resources in times of economic crisis like that one we are living in..

In conclusion: the Member States of the SEEHN are associated themselves with the strategy and the action plan on healthy ageing in Europe, 2012–2020 and is endorsing the draft resolution.

Thank you Mr. Chairman!

SEEHN statement on the report of WHO/Europe Regional Director during RC62, Malta

 Joint Statement

Of the South East European Health Network

on Draft resolution: Report of the Regional Director on the work of WHO in the European Region 2010–2011 - EUR/RC62/Conf.Doc./1, Malta ,September 2012

Mr. Chairman, thank you for giving me the floor.

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the 10 member States of the SEE Health Network, who have associated themselves with this statement: Albania, Bulgaria. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Israel, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Republic of Macedonia, Romania and Serbia.

We have just listened to   the report of our RD, Ms. Zsuzsana Jakab, which also is published in the working document EUR/RC62/5 of this Regional Committee. Although this is her first report in her five years term, it seems to us that she is leading the European Region of WHO for a long time.

The Member States of the SEEHN congratulate the Regional Director for this comprehensive and straightforward report that side by side with her deep concern for improvement of the work of WHO/Euro, she is able to demonstrate implementations, achievements and also to point out on issues that should be improved and invested upon.

We are living in time of financial crisis that has affected almost all the MS of the region. It has put many constraints on the Ministries of Health of the Member States and naturally on the headquarters in Copenhagen. This situation demands vision, leadership, and dedication hand in hand with professionalism.  The 10 MS of the SEEHN who read this report are in the opinion that the RD has set in the following year of 2011-2012 the important foundation for the future work of the region on order to accomplish her ambitious road-map. We are referring to the New European policy Framework for Health and Wellbeing, which is called health 2020. This overall strategy is based on evidence as well as on wide participation and consultation with all the MS. As an outcome of this endeavor all the deliberations and debates of this Regional Committee will be different the previous RC in an improved and upgraded way.

The Regional Office of Europe has put Public Health back on the stage underpinning the strategy and the action plan for Public health Services that is on the agenda of this RC, Non- Communicable Diseases including Healthy Aging based on evidence and active participation of the MS. But life goes on and other emerging issues have been dealt with: the governance of the HQ; the constrains imposed by the budgetary situation;, the consequences of the  WHO reform; building partnership with different organization including the EU and The ECDC ; tackling the Communicable Diseases as HIV and TB to name only few.  

The SEEHN has been mentioned in the report of the RD and not without a sound reason. We thank the RD for continuous support of the network, the attendance in the SEEHN ministerial meeting. The Network has been established as part of the Stability Pact by WHO/Euro creating partnership with different donor organization and donor Member States of Europe, to serve as a tool  to peace and stability and confidence building in the SEE. Further on it has proven to be an excellent health diplomacy tool serving sustainable economic development through the whole of a government approach in the SEE Health Network member states. The investment in the SEEHN in terms of allocating coordinator officer in times of change of guard and strengthening global health diplomacy capacities for the Member States of the SEE Region using innovative tools is very well appreciated and further encouraged both for the SEEHN and in other European regions. Furthering this line of action will provide for cross-fertilization public health developments between the WHO and SEE Health Network member states, but also strengthening SEEHN role in global health diplomacy for improved public health gains. Furthermore, the SEEHN member states will respond to the challenge of implementation of the H2020 and the action plan in their endeavors, reporting to the Fourth Ministerial Forum in 2014 on the results achieved and impact of what we will endorse at this Committee and that are in line with the Banja Luka Pledge endorsed by the SEEHN.

We believe that the work culture introduced by the RD to her staff and the involvements of the MS of the European Region in the work of the office is respected also by the MS of other sub-region and will pay off in the years to come.

In conclusion: the SEEHN is applauding the RD for her visionary approach, the priorities set up and her achievement. The SEEHN is endorsing the draft resolution EUR/RC62/Conf.Doc./1

Thank you Mr. Chairman!

SEEHN statement on European Public Health Action Plan during WHO RC62, Malta

Joint Statement

Of the South East European Health Network

On public health Action Plan, Malta, September 2012

 
Mr. Chairman, thank you for giving me the floor.

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the 10 member States of the SEE Health Network, who have associated themselves with this statement: Albania, Bulgaria. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Israel, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Republic of Macedonia, Romania and Serbia.

Today is a great day for public health since the Regional Committee celebrates the inauguration of the Public Health Action Plan for the European Region of the WHO. True, WHO is the public health agency of the United Nations; The WHO/Euro has done remarkable job in many public health issues during its more than 60 years of existence, but each time every distinguished delegate from a MS talked, who had taken the floor and mentioned the term public health was he referring to the same concept? Even in different schools of public health there were different conceptualizations of the term and the terminology!

Why? Because we are dealing with developing issues, up and coming challenges which are the outcome of living in a changing world. Public Health is reaching far and beyond the community, district, sub-national, national to the globalized world. As we are dealing with emerging infectious the issues of NCDs, Social Determinants of Health, Inequalities in Health and others have taken their important place on the national arena.

The states of the SEEHN are congratulating the RD for putting public health high on the list of her priorities from the first day she has been chosen to the office. We applaud to the WHO/EURO public health team that has initiated the endeavor of having an consensus document dealing with what is Public Health and its Essential Public Health Operations for each country to identify the "must have" in order to establish an efficient public health services that are able to deal with the current and the future challenges. Especially we express gratitude to Dr. Maria Ruseva that has done a huge contribution to the establishment of the SEEHN and strengthening public health systems in the SEEHN member states, also through the work on this document and leading piloting EPHOs in this region.

Moreover, the original document was issued together with a self assessing tool for each country to examine strengths and the weaknesses of its public health services in order to bridge the gaps that have been identified. This work has emphasized areas of the Essential Public Health Operations that are most important for the country to be developed. The members of the SEEHN have taken upon themselves this hard work and thus have not only contributed to the public health document, but have upgraded him.

The SEEHN agrees to the notion that the Public Health Action Plan is one of the main pillars of the Strategy of the WHO/Euro for the year 2020. This integration is essential for the success of this endeavor that all of us are taking upon ourselves.

We see that not only in the SEE region public health is a bridge to peace, a tool to sustainable development and for participatory democracy through the whole of a government approach. It clearly enhances the international collaboration between the MS of European Region lead by the WHO.

The SEEHN being continuously growing an agora for public health has already pledged at the Banja Luka Ministerial Forum to continue its activities within the framework of the H2020 and implement it through its strategic work. The SEEHN will further continue to assess the public health systems in its member states, to monitor and evaluate them using and further developing tools and instruments that will strengthen EPHOs, as they are defined in the document

Last but not least we pledge that the other MS of the European Region implement the action plan for our success and better healthy life our next generations to live in a better life in a better environment.

The SEEHN is endorsing the draft resolution.

Thank you Mr. Chairman!

SEEHN statement on Health 2020 during WHO RC62 Malta

Joint Statement

Of the South East European Health Network

On the Health 2020 for the RC62 Malta, September 2012

Mr. Chairman, thank you for giving me the floor.

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the 10 member States of the SEE Health Network, who have associated themselves with this statement: Albania, Bulgaria. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Israel, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Republic of Macedonia, Romania and Serbia.

The South East European Health Network congratulates the European Region of WHO secretariat, The Regional Director and the Member States that have taken upon them to enter into this endeavor of endorsing this strategy of "Health 2020 – The European policy framework for health and well-being". It has been reached in a unique participatory process, lead by the Regional Director and the Standing Committee, conducting two meetings of all the MS of the region within a year of work. The secretariat has provided us an extremely useful document in a short and a long version as an outcome of this intensive work. 

It is an important milestone in the history of the European Region of WHO that instead of dealing with resolutions and strategies concerning specific health issues, an umbrella strategy that will lead the work of the WHO/Euro for the next eight years. Moreover it has the potential to show all the MS of the European Region the "northern star" that will enlighten them on what and how to achieve Health and well- being for their citizens and create their tailored national 2020 strategies.

Mr. Chairman!

 Adopting this resolution and the Health 2020 strategy is an achievement but also a commitment.  From this day on the preparation and discussion in the Regional Committee will be upgraded in a way that they will be with referral and in the light of this Health 2020 Strategy.

Therefore we suggest amending the draft resolution by adding a new subparagraph in Item. 6 (" Request the Regional Director") right after 6b, which will be the new 6c and the previous 6c will become 6d etc. It will read: "ensure that in each further resolution dealing with strategies on different issues in the work of WHO/Euro a special reference should be added as for the relation and interconnection with the Health 2020 strategy".

We would like to remind the other MS of the WHO/Euro that the two other strategies that we are debating on them during this RC62 in Malta, namely "public health" and "healthy aging" are interconnected with the Health 2020. This new tradition must be the rule for the future, as appropriate.

Health workforce mobility in the South-east European Health Network Region

A recent report prepared by IOM and the SEEHN provides more information in the situation of health workforce mobility and migration in the SEEHN member states. Below is the Executive Summary of the report. To read the full report please click here.

Dynamic health-related demographic and migratory trends are creating new challenges for health systems across Europe – nationally and regionally. The increasing out-migration of health professionals from low- and middle-income countries towards high-income countries of the European Union (EU) is becoming a crucial problem facing the health systems of the sending countries. The Council of the European Union recognizes that the ageing of the population and the health workforce, coupled with the growing number of major and chronic diseases, the changing needs of patients and of the health systems, the increasing mobility of patients and health care professionals, and the emergence of new technologies pose new challenges for all Member States, and require innovative approaches in training and supplying the health workforce of the future.

In recent years, many of these health workforce needs in the EU have been met by increasing numbers of migrating non-EU health professionals, including those from South-Eastern Europe (SEE). The situation in the SEE is alarming, due to substantial loss of qualified, trained health professionals from the Region. Through its collaborative efforts with the South-Eastern European Health Network (SEEHN), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) administered a survey, developed within the framework of the MoHProf Project
, on the mobility of health professionals involving the member states of the SEEHN (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Israel, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia), in order to determine the gravity of the situation.

Overall, the surveys reveal that the out-migration of highly trained and qualified health professionals is a prominent concern throughout the Region. With the EU as the primary destination for SEE health workers, the sending states recognize the need for the establishment of greater collaboration, data collection, formal agreements and codes of best practice between sending and receiving countries. Ensuring the best, most effective, and most equitable exchange between health systems in the present will not only facilitate the resolution of current healthcare needs within Europe, it will also promote the development of sustainable healthcare systems for the future needs of all.

SEEHN supports the European Action Plan on Public Health

The 62nd session of the WHO Regional Office for Europe Regional Committee approved the European Action Plan for strengthening public health capacities and services. The EAP received the support of all the member states. The EAP was presented by Dr Hans Kluge, Director of the Division of Health Systems and Public Health, WHO Regional Office for Europe.

The SEEHN Presidency, held by the State of Israel, supported the EAP, on behalf of the SEEHN member states, and expressed the commitment to implementing the EAP in the SEE sub-region.

Recognition was expressed for the work of Dr Maria Ruseva, at time of her retirement from the WHO Europe, for her contribution and achievements linked to both the SEE Health Network and the Public Health Services program of the WHO Regional Office, and to the EAP specifically.

For more information on the RC62 click here.

For more information on EAP click here.

For more information on public health services program of WHO/Europe click here.

WHO Regional Committee 62nd Session, Malta

WHO Governing bodies

Regional Committee (RC)

The 62nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe takes place from 10-13 September 2012 in Malta.

The Regional Committee (RC) meets in September each year – the dates alternating between Copenhagen and a Member State.
It is composed of delegations from the 53 Member States of the European Region.
Main functions of the RC:

• to formulate regional policies;
• to supervise EURO’s activities;
• to comment on the regional component of the proposed programme budget;
• to nominate the Regional Director and transmit to the Executive Board for endorsement.

For more information please visit:

https://intranet.euro.who.int/work-by-area/units/governing-bodies/regional-committee-rc

SEEHN representation in WHO governing bodies

Dear National Health Coordinators,

Dear members of the Executive Committee,

Dear RHDCs Directors,

I hereby inform and  CONGRATULATE to you, to your country representatives and to your member states that the SEEHN member states have achieved such a success at the RC62, namely:

- ALB was elected for the EB,

- ISR and MDA were elected for the European SC

As a result,  5 of the SEEHN countries are members of WHO Governing bodies: 1 in EB (ALB) and 4 in the SC (BUL< CRO< ISR< MDA). On top, most probably Dessislava Dimitrova (BUL)  will become the Chair of the SC.

This info will be posted on the twitter and through the WHO site.There are also very positive movements regarding the Secretariat that will be registered by end of September 2012, and the inauguration will be in Ocober 2012. I will inform on this in detail in addition.

Thank you all and the best, Snezhana

Snezhana Chichevalieva

Public Health Officer,

Division of Health Systems and Public Health WHO/Europe Focal Point for the SEE Health Network Based in CO Skopje, MKD

HEALTH DIPLOMACY IN SEE: THE CASE OF SOUTH EAST EUROPEAN HEALTH NETWORK

by Snezhana Chichevalieva and Joanna Nurse

This paper will be considered mainly with a decade of the regional cooperation process in the SEE in the period 1991-2011 set up to contribute to rebuild peace and stability and further constantly transforming to support sustainable development and 21st century challenges in the SEE. It emphasizes regional cooperation process in the SEE in public health presented through South-east Europe Health Network (SEEHN) and its multifaceted mutually reinforcing roles: that of a health diplomacy tool in rebuilding and sustaining peace and stability in the SEE, and that of an agora for public health acting to achieve the overarching goal: all of a government action for health and through health contributing to economic development and strengthening European integration processes of the SEE countries.

You can read or download this paper by clicking here.

High-level meeting on health workforce mobility challenges and policy options in Republic of Moldova

Photo: WHO


A technical meeting on "Strengthening the health workforce knowledge base to support evidence-informed health policies" took place in Chisinau, 28–29 June 2012. Participants examined the role of statistical data and information systems on generating evidence for decision-making on human resources for health, and reviewed the findings from a recent European Union study on health workforce mobility in Europe.

The meeting was organized by WHO/Europe in collaboration with the South-eastern Europe Health Network and hosted by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Moldova. It brought to the attention of decision-makers in the Republic of Moldova the challenges and policy options of health workforce planning to match population health needs.

Representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Israel, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia also reviewed the progress of the newly established Regional Health Development Center (RHDC) on Human Resources for Health (HRH), hosted by the National Center on Health Management in Chisinau. They were further informed about the development, contribution, roles and functions of HRH observatories (based on recommendations from the July 2011 WHO global meeting on HRH observatories in Lisbon, Portugal), and progress in implementation of the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel.

Human resources mobility project
The workshop served as the kick-off meeting of a three-year project on health workforce mobility in the Republic of Moldova funded by the European Union and coordinated by WHO. The project aims to help the Ministry of Health better manage health workforce migration and mobility by fostering circular migration and mitigating the effects of brain drain and waste. The Republic of Moldova is also the lead country in regional cooperation related to human resources for health issues in south-eastern Europe.

Speaking at the workshop, Dr Andrei Usatîi, Minister of Health of the Republic of Moldova, said: "The problems of human resources for health are not limited to one country, but extend beyond the boundaries of a single state and have joint features, especially regional. To respond to this big challenge, the Ministry of Health approved the Framework Concept for Human Resources Development, elaborated an Action Plan for implementation of the development programme for medical and pharmacy education in the Republic of Moldova for 2012–2020 and established in 2011 the Department for the Analysis and Planning of Human Resources for Health at the National Center of Health Management".


For more details on the meeting and to download presentations from the meeting, please visit the webpage of the SEE RHDC on HRH by clicking here.

Self-sufficiency in organ donation a step closer in south-eastern Europe

Photo: Ministry of Health, Croatia
Health ministers and high-level officials from the 10 countries in the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) attended the First Regional Ministerial Conference on Organ Donation and Transplantation “Heart to the Region” – Beating towards Self-Sufficiency, in Zagreb, Croatia on 4 June.

The Conference was opened by Mr Ivo Josipovic, President of Croatia, and Dr Hans Kluge, Director, Division of Health Systems and Public Health at WHO/Europe, on behalf of the WHO Regional Director for Europe. At the opening, Dr Kluge commended the President for applying a whole-of-government approach to health, in line with the new European health policy framework, Health 2020.

“Croatia would like to highlight the importance of the highly complex and challenging field of organ donation and transplantation, in which remarkable progress has been made. We hope that the experience and tangible results achieved to date for the benefit of our citizens can serve as a role model for other SEEHN countries facing similar needs, opportunities, and challenges,” commented Professor Rajko Ostojić, Minister of Health of Croatia.

The goal of the Conference was to establish political support and strong commitment to further strengthen the implementation of successful programmes for organ donation and transplantation, based on the WHO Madrid Resolution on Organ Donation and Transplantation, WHO guiding principles, the Declaration of Istanbul on Organ Trafficking and Transplant Tourism, quality and safety standards, and the European Union (EU) Action Plan on Organ Donation and Transplantation.

During panel discussions, ministers highlighted what were the strong economic and ethical grounds for an effective organ transplantation programme, how to implement EU safety and quality standards and how countries in the region could cooperate long term, and share good practices and experience.

Croatia officially inaugurated the regional health development centre on organ donation and transplantation in south-eastern European countries in February 2011.

The Conference was followed by the twenty-ninth meeting of SEEHN.

29th Meeting of the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) in Zagreb, on 04-05 June 2012

The Croatian Presidency of the south-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) (January-June 2012) is organizing its 29th Meeting in Zagreb, on 04-05 June 2012. This event  will be attended by representatives of the SEE Health Network Member States, the partner countries international organization, as well as Heads of the SEEHN Regional Health Development Centres (RHDC).

The Meeting is continuation of the 28th extraordinary meeting of the SEEHN held in Brussels, on 13-14 March 2012 with the main objective to establish, start and develop the process of the implementation of the Banja Luka Ministerial Pledge (2011). It builds upon conclusions endorsed by the 28th Meeting.

The purpose of the meeting will be to:

1. Establish the operational Secretariat for the Network as agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Network and the Government of Republic of Macedonia.
2. Elect new members of the Executive Committee based on Protocol for election developed by the Secretariat and the MoU Terms of Reference.
3. Establish a working group for developing the SEEHN Communication Strategy
4. Establish a working group for developing Protocol for operation of the RHDCs, based on the SEEHN basic documents.
5. Develop a joint agenda with relevant RCC initiatives  Signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with the International Network of Health promoting Hospitals and Services (HPH) and the International Organization of Migration (IOM) to  establish  working cooperation of mutual benefit in view of the similarity of some of the activities between the entities; an initial discussion to be held regarding the steps to be taken for the practical implantation of this agreement.
6. Make practical arrangements with EHFG with the aim in particular to organize a an SEE High Level Forum in Bad-Gadstein in October 2012; the draft components of the Programme to be discussed – with the focus on the implementation of Aquis Communitaire. The issues of participation and funding to be discussed and resolved.
7. Discuss and agree on a joint action plan and practical arrangements for the cooperation with EuroHealthNet.
8. Discuss and agree on knowhow and capacity building in support of the Banja Luka Pledge based on the preliminary ideas and practical possibilities presented by experts (WHO/Europe; Office for Investment for Health and development) focusing on distance learning.
9. Adopt the program of the next Presidency and Calendar of Events for the period June-December 2012.

State of Israel takes over the SEEHN Presidency for next 6 months

Staring on 1 July 2012, the State of Israel takes over the SEEHN Presidency until 31 December 2012. This is the first time that Israel holds the presidency since it joined the SEEHN as a member in October 2011, just prior to the Third Forum of the Ministers of Health of the SEE region.

The President of the SEEHN for this period is the Minister of Health of Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The SEEHN National Health Coordinator for the State of Israel is:
Prof Alex Leventhal
SEEHN Israeli Presidency
2 Ben Tabai St. POB 1176
Jerusalem 93591