PURPOSE: For information CPME NUMBER: CPME Info 129-2017 CONCERNING: WHO, Health systems DATE:6 October 2017 AUTHOR: Dr Erzsébet Podmaniczky

Report on the WHO Regional Committee for Europe 67th session 11–14 September 2017, ,

The meeting started with the welcome speech of His Excellency Mr. Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary. He outlined the goals of the Hungarian health policy and stressed the importance of the good collaboration with the European Region of the WHO.

Following him, the guest of honour Her Royal Highness, the Crown Princess of spoke. This was the 7th Regional Committee that she has attended as Patron of the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Europe. She said that as the new era of work in the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals has commenced, it is extremely timely that we are called to discuss and support the new roadmap that implements the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, building (of course) on Health 2020. The roadmap highlights the Region’s priorities and gives us a common direction. To achieve the SDGs we need to ensure better, more equitable, sustainable health and well-being for all at all ages: this is universal health coverage. When the opportunity presents itself, she communicates and promotes this concept through issues that she believes require particular focus and action: maternal and child health, immunisation, and combating antimicrobial resistance.

In her opening address Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director highlighted, that : “Now, in the era of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and universal health coverage, and with today’s knowledge, we can achieve this dream. We must place health at the centre of development, focusing on the right to health, equity, fairness, universality and solidarity. We must see health as the smartest thing to invest in, which yields high returns. Above all, we must secure strong political commitment to achieve these goals and, truly, we must “leave no one behind”, she stressed. The latest data indicate that life expectancy across the European Region has now reached over 77 years. Healthy life expectancy has reached 68 across the Region. The mortality trend from major NCDs for those aged 30–69 years is declining for both sexes. Since 2003, almost all countries have shown an average annual decline of 2–3% in premature mortality. Infant mortality is the lowest ever, at 6.7 per thousand live births. Yet, progress is uneven. There are substantial inequalities within and between countries. For example, life expectancy across the Region ranges from 70 to 83 years, a difference of 13 years. Healthy life expectancy ranges from 60 to 73 years, a difference of over 13 years. Infant mortality has more than a tenfold difference. For children vaccinated against rubella, the difference is grave: from 42 to 99%. These are worrying disparities that need to be addressed with determined actions. To achieve improvements in health and health equity, we must focus on health policies and health systems for the 21st century within the context of universal health coverage. This must be a core component of national development planning.”

Address by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the newly elected WHO Director-General from Geneva who was also present:

“Within the context of the SDGs, the concept note for the General Programme of Work proposes the following mission for WHO: to keep the world safe, improve health and serve the vulnerable. Let me repeat that: keep the world safe, improve health and serve the vulnerable. Clarity of the mission is always important. This is how I see the mission of WHO. To achieve that mission, we propose five strategic priorities.

First, the world expects WHO to be able to prevent, detect and respond to epidemics and other health emergencies.

The second priority is linked closely to the first: to provide health services in emergencies and help to rebuild health systems in fragile, conflict and vulnerable states.

The third priority is helping countries strengthen health systems to progress towards universal health coverage.

The fourth priority is to drive progress towards the specific SDG health targets.

Finally WHO can and must therefore play a vital role in orchestrating the increasingly complex global health architecture.”

There was also an address by His Excellency Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of Greece who outlined the latest successes of the Greece health policy and praised WHO Europe’s help.

On the second day we heard interesting presentations from different delegations head. Here some examples:

. Keep the World Safe, Improve Health, Serve the Vulnerable Mr Imre Hollo, Director, Planning Resource Coordination and Performance Monitoring, WHO Headquarters

. Roadmap to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, building on Health 2020, the European policy for health and well-being, Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe

. Implementing the Health Aspects of Sustainable Development at the National Level in an Interagency Mode Prof. Dr Recep Akdağ, Republic of Turkey, Deputy Prime Minister

. European Commission on the proposed enhanced technical collaboration in health information Philippe Roux, Head, Country Knowledge and Scientific Committees Unit, European Commission DG Health and Food Safety

. Partnerships for health in the WHO European Region Leen Meulenbergs, Executive Manager, Strategic Partnerships, WHO Representative to the , 67th session of the WHO Regional Office for Europe

. Put data in action to save lives and public money Dr. Miklós Szócska Semmelweis University Budapest, Hungary

In summary:

Key technical health issues on this year’s agenda included:

• opportunities and challenges for 21st-century public health in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and the Health 2020 policy framework; • improving environment and health in the context of Health 2020 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with a focus on outcomes of the 6th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health; • working towards a sustainable health workforce in the WHO European Region through a framework for action; • strengthening Member State collaboration on improving access to medicines in the WHO European Region; • accelerating implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) and strengthening laboratory capacities for better health in the WHO European Region; and • building regional partnerships for health. The 4-day programme also included progress reports on the implementation of the European action plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol 2012–2020, the European food and nutrition action plan 2015–2020, and the European mental health action plan. A final report on the implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) in the Region was also be shared.

RC67 concludes: for actions that can accelerate and strengthen the capacities of Member States to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Member States widely supported the roadmap, and adopted the related resolution.

“Our message is reaching further and higher” (Dr. Zsuzsanna Jakab)

„Leaving no one behind is our call to action” (Dr. Zsuzsanna Jakab)

Keep the world safe, improve health, serve the vulnerable (Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General)

05.10.2017 Budapest Prepared by: Dr. Erzsébet Podmaniczky