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!