Since June 2011, the following Regional Health Development Centers have been designated:
1. RHDC on Communicable Disease in Tirana, Albania
2. RHDC on Antibiotic Resistance in Sofia, Bulgaria
3. RHDC for Mental Health in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
4. RHDC on Human Organ and Transplant Medicine in Zagreb, Croatia
5. RHDC on Human Resources in Health Development in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
6. RHDC on Public Health Services, Skopje, Macedonia
7. RHDC on Blood Safety in Oradea, Romania
8. RHDC on Accreditation and Continuous Quality Improvement on Health Care in Belgrade, Serbia
You can read or download the SEEHN Decision on establishing the RHDCs by clicking here:
The following information displays summaries on the Centers' objectives and where available their annual workplans.
RHDC on Mental Health - Sarajevo
The SEE Mental Health Project (Project) was the flagship project of the South-eastern Europe Health Network and the Regional Office of the Project was located in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As the Project played an important role in the process of mental health reform in SEE countries in the period from 2002-2008, the Ministers of Health in the SEE countries have expressed their commitment to continue mental health reform initiated by the project by establishing the Regional Health Development Center on Mental Health in South-eastern Europe .
Earlier in 2008 the Ministers of Health of the SEE signed the Declaration on "the Long-term Programme for Regional Collaboration and Development on Mental Health".
The RHDC on Mental Health in South-eastern Europe was established within the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2010. The goal of the RHDC on Mental Health in SEE is to continue strengthening cooperation among SEE countries in the field of mental health in order to improve mental health policy and practice through promotion, prevention, advocacy, publications, research, policy development, and collaboration and networking among SEE countries.
You can read or download the first progress report of the Center (Jun-Dec 2010) here.
You can read or download theworkplan for 2011 here.
You can read or download theworkplan for 2011 here.
RHDC on Public Health Services - Skopje
The Regional Health Development Center (RHDC) for Public Health Services was established in the Republic of Macedonia and is hosted by the National Institute of Public Health in Skopje; a Regional Center Manager (RCM) will be responsible for the management of overall activities in the Center. One of the most important roles of the RHDC will be to lead, coordinate, manage and monitor the progress of implementing selected public health projects and/or activities in the region. The RCM is supported by selected staff of the Institute. Staff, office space and communication tools for the RHDC are already in place. Each Ministry of Health of the nine countries is in the process of nominating a National Coordinator for Public Health services. One of the most important roles of the national coordinator will be to monitor progress at country level.
The program of the Center for 2011 includes launching a Website and a Newsletter, the official inauguration of RHDCPH, mobilizing resources for the regional cooperation in public health; networking of the National Public Health Institutes within the SEE Health Network for which meetings have already been held and MoUs signed; holding meeting of the Directors of the National Public Health Institutes in SEE, and finally, conducting two two-days Policy Dialogues on Financing in Public Health and on Social Determinants of Health and Inequalities. Finalized list of public health indicators of relevance for the region and a Report with analysis of the status of public health in the countries in the region is in the process of completion.
RHDC on Blood Safety - Oradea
Mr. Attila Cseke, the Romanian Minister of Health, officially inaugurated on 7th of January 2011, in Oradea, the Regional Health Development Centre for Blood Safety (RHDC-BS) having the mission to act as strategic and methodological structure in blood transfusion safety.
“We opened today the Regional Health Development Centre for Blood Safety, an unique Centre in Romania, part of South-East European Network for Health. The existence of the RHDC-BS shows that the international prestige can be won due to committed medical professionals. The Centre will represent a reference point, being in permanent contact with The Macedonian Presidency and the Executive Committee of the SEEHN and other specialized centres both in the South-Eastern Europe and throughout the European Union” said Mr. Attila Cseke, Romanian Minister of Health.
The first international activity of the newly established center is scheduled to be held in May 2011 when representatives of countries members of the Health Network will participate to a specialized course in blood transfusion for emergencies and catastrophes, with financial and technical support of prestigious international bodies, in the field.
Since 2002, through the Stability Pact Initiative a regional network of experts from nine countries of South Eastern Europe (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia) has been established to strengthen communicable diseases surveillance and response in SEE countries. The network has been working closely with WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) in the areas of strengthening capacities on field epidemiology, assessment of surveillance systems, cross-border early warning systems, influenza surveillance and laboratory, pandemic preparedness and response and implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005). Based on previous agreement in 2008 for the development of regional development centers,the RHDC on CDS and IHR implementation was established at Institute of Public Health, in Tirana, Albania in November 2010.
Mr. Attila Cseke, the Romanian Minister of Health, officially inaugurated on 7th of January 2011, in Oradea, the Regional Health Development Centre for Blood Safety (RHDC-BS) having the mission to act as strategic and methodological structure in blood transfusion safety.
“We opened today the Regional Health Development Centre for Blood Safety, an unique Centre in Romania, part of South-East European Network for Health. The existence of the RHDC-BS shows that the international prestige can be won due to committed medical professionals. The Centre will represent a reference point, being in permanent contact with The Macedonian Presidency and the Executive Committee of the SEEHN and other specialized centres both in the South-Eastern Europe and throughout the European Union” said Mr. Attila Cseke, Romanian Minister of Health. The first international activity of the newly established center is scheduled to be held in May 2011 when representatives of countries members of the Health Network will participate to a specialized course in blood transfusion for emergencies and catastrophes, with financial and technical support of prestigious international bodies, in the field.
RHDC on Communicable Diseases Surveillance and IHR implementation - Tirana
The center will foster safety and equity, reduce morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases and increase joint capacities in South East Europe to implement IHR and early warning systems through regional collaboration and maintenance of a network of communities of practice and by ensuring the regional leadership, ownership and partnership in one health initiative.
