Friday, October 28, 2011

SEEHN Newsletter Third Issue Published

The SEEHN Secretariat prepared a special issue of its Newsletter on the proceedings and results of the 3rd SEE Ministers of Health Forum "Health in All Policies in the SEE: A Shared Goal and Responsibility". The Forum took place in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina on 13-14 October 2011. The Forum report is currently being drafted.




















You can read or download a copy by clicking here.


Note: Should you have a problem accessing the document, please leave a comment below.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

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.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

SEEHN welcomes State of Israel as its newest member

SEEHN Representatives after signing Amendments to the MoU
SEE Health Network Members have signed today the amendments to the Memorandum of Understanding on the future of the SEE and the regional cooperation in public health, signed originally in 2009 by the SEE Ministers of Health.

The new amendments pave the way for opening the SEE Health Network to new members. At the same day, the SEEHN member countries signed the decision to accept the State of Israel as its newest member.

Prof Alex Leventhal, on behalf of the State of Israel, thanked the SEEHN for the decision and promised to complete the signing procedure as soon as the Government of State of Israel has approved the credentials. Prof Leventhal also stated that Israel fully accepts the Dubrovnik (2001) and Skopje (2005) Pledges, as well as the MoU (2009) on the future of the SEEHN, as well as Host Country Agreement (2010) for the SEEHN Secretariat in Skopje.

This recent decision of the SEEHN takes the number of member countries to 10.

Below you can see some of the pictures from the ceremony and the reception hosted by WHO Regional Director for Europe.







26th Meeting of SEE Health Network, Banja Luka, 12 October 2011

The 26th meeting of the SEE Health Network took place in Banja Luka. The meeting was attended by representatives of member states and partner countries and organizations. Important decisions taken at this meeting include those on the preparations and follow up to the 3rd Ministers of Health Forum that takes place during 13-14 October 2011.

You can read or download the draft summary report from this meeting below:




26TH MEETING OF THE SEEHN
Banja Luka (B&H), 12 October 2011

DRAFT SUMMARY REPORT

The meeting followed immediately the meeting of the Executive Committee of the SEEHN ( attended by Snezanna Cicevalieva, Elizabet Paunovic, Goran Cerkez, Alexandre Berlin, Amela Lolic, Dunja Gruntar Golanda, Maria Ruseva, Piotr Mierzewski, Nand Shani and Natalia Olesen), with the main object to complete the final preparations of the Forum. The list of participants at the 26th meeting of the SEEHN is attached.

The meeting agreed with all the details concerning the scenario for the running of the Forum, and its member will convey the appropriate information to the heads of the delegations.

Due to the lack of time at the end of the Forum it was agreed that the next SEEHN meeting (Post-Forum meeting) will take place within the next 2-4 month as a special meeting. It will be a larger meeting involving also the Directors of the RHDCs. all partners as well as all interested organizations and potential partners, to define, on the basis of the Banja Luka Pledge, how to implement the Pledge commitments, the future strategy of the Network and its work plans, as well as increasing the involvement of interested partners.

Regarding the Global Conference on Social Determinants for Health and Inequalities (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), it was agreed that the Minister of Health of Moldova who will be participating in the meeting will deliver a joint statement on behalf of the SEEHN. The draft of this Statement will be prepared during the Forum and circulated immediately for approval by the NHC before the end of the Forum.

The HiAP capacity building programme document prepared by Erio Ziglio and Chris Brown, as a possible project, will be discussed at the next SEEHN meeting (post-Forum meeting.

The meeting welcomed the participation of the representatives of the International Network of Health Promoting Hospitals and Health Services – Professor Hanne Tonnesen and Mr. Jeff Kirk Svane. They briefly described the network and its activities as well as their interest in becoming partners of the Network. Their intervention can be summarized as follows:

The International Network of Health Promoting Hospitals & Health Services (HPH) noted that HPH is pleased to embark on the coming collaboration with the SEEHN and to be of service in relation to the great role and responsibility that hospitals and health services have to play now and in future. The HPH began in the 1980s as a WHO Europe pilot project, but now consists of more than 850 hospitals and health services worldwide as a fully established legal entity (with a MoU connecting it closely to WHO). HPH is experiencing rapid growth internationally, and in SEE HPH already has members in Bulgaria, Serbia, Israel. HPH is also looking forward to supporting further memberships in the region.

The SEEHN and HPH collaboration will hopefully prove very beneficial to the health gain of patients, staff and communities in the SEE area in future. The areas of possible synergy and cooperation are plentiful. Especially hospitals and health services, by integration of health promotion in all treatment and structures, are a crucial part of improving individual health on short term and public health on long term. SEEHN and HPH are thus complimentary in scope and aim, and can benefit form a strategic collaborations.

Banja Luka, 12 October 2011
Alexandre Berlin, Rapporteur



Banja Luka, 12 October 2011

Sunday, October 2, 2011

SEEHN Secretariat Page Views Over 10,000

The SEEHN Secretariat page has been viewed over 10,000 times since its creation in November 2010.

Message from WHO Regional Director for Europe

 Dear Colleagues,

 Thank you very much for the effective and enthusiastic preparation for the 3rd Forum. It is very encouraging and heartwarming to see this work and this good and close collaboration among all the parties.

 Snezhana picked up a very good motto for the Conference and also for the future work of the SEEHN from RC 61, which actually I also suggested to the DG as the motto of the ongoing WHO Reform:

" If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together ". ( We borrowed this from Gaudenz Silberschmidt but I am sure he will not mind if we use it broadly ).

You can all count on my full support and looking forward to meeting you all in Banja Luka.

 Special thanks to Snezhana and Maria for their never-fading efforts to move forward and to build consensus.

 Regards Zsuzsanna Jakab

Message from SEEHN Executive Committee Chair

Dear All,

Allow me, on behalf of the SEE Health Network Executive Committee to express our sincere gratitude:
- for the hard work, commitment and enthusiasm for consensual and effective decision making in the spirit of the SEEHN major documents, to all the national health coordinators and representatives of the MoFA of the SEEHN MSs present at the meeting,
- the RD, Ms Jakab for her constant and strong support to the SEEHN and her visionary approach to the PH and embracing this sub regional initiative which we hope to bring further tangible results in PH in the SEE region and in Europe, and
-to our friends from WHO: Hans, Gauden, Matt, especially Maria and her team (Dora and Natalia) for enormous support and professional guidance, and not just for this Forum.

I will never forget the words of our colleague from Switzerland who, at the RC61 said:
" If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far, go together".

The power of the SEEHN is in our joining forces and thus, reaching far.

I am positive now that the 3rd Forum of the SEEHN MSs in Banja Luka, with all off you on board, will be huge success and thus, paving our way for developments in the next decade.

The last, but not the least, I complement our friends from the host country : Minister Skrbic, Amela, Goran and all our colleagues there for excellent and professional work.

We will do what's left in the coming days, so that we assure that the Forum runs smoothly and successfully.

Sincerely yours

Snezhana

Fourth Preparatory Meeting to the 3rd Ministers of Health Forum

The 4th Preparatory Meeting to the 3rd Ministers of Health Forum was kindly hosted by the WHO Regional Office for Europe. The meeting was attended by high level officials from the SEEHN member countries as well partner countries and organizations. The meeting reviewed the progress made on the preparations to the 3rd Forum as well as several of the political and technical documents of the Forum.

You can download or read by clicking below the documents discussed:
1. Amendments to the MoU on the future of the SEEHN
2. Draft Banja Luka Pledge
3. List of Working Documents for the 3rd Forum

Monday, September 5, 2011

New SEEHN EC/Secretariat Liaison Officer to Support Organization of 3rd Ministerial Forum in Banja Luka

The SEEHN Executive Committee and Secretariat have appointed a new Liaison Officer to support the local organization of the 3rd SEE Ministers of Health Forum in Banja Luka.

Ms Jelena Kundacina, kindly seconded by the IOM, will work closely with Deputy Minister Amela Lolic and her local organizing team, in close cooperation and communication with the RCC, the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BIH, the Ministry of Health of BIH/FBIH, the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs of BIH/RS, the WHO Country Office in BIH, under the direct supervision of Dr Maria Ruseva, Ms Snezana Cicevalieva and Dr Amela Lolic.

Jelena has a BSc in psychology and an MA in political science: She has written her Master's thesis on migrant mental health issues, focusing on Spain (as one of the main entry points for migrants entering the EU). She speaks Serbo-Croatian, English, Spanish, French, Catalan and a bit of Italian: Jelena has been born in Belgrade and has moved to Canada (Toronto) in 1993. She has gained a substantial international experience by travelling and teaching English in Spain for a year, and in Seoul, South Korea for another year. She has participated in Dr Berlin's EU Study Tour in 2010 and has done internship at EAHC (DG SANCO) in Luxembourg. Currently she is working with Roumjana at IOM offices in Brussels.

New WHO/Europe Publications

Technical guidance on water-related disease surveillance
(Edited by E. Funari, T. Kistemann, S. Herbst and A. Rechenburg)

This guidance is intended to assist the countries that are Parties to the Protocol on Water and Health to the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes in establishing and/or strengthening their detection and early warning systems, contingency plans and capacity to respond to outbreaks of water-related disease accordance with article 8 of the Protocol.

The guidance reviews the main threats to health related to water services, recalls basic concepts of epidemiology and disease surveillance and advises on data management and analysis. It will therefore also support countries’ efforts towards national and international health security, in line with the International Health Regulations (2005). The Parties to the Protocol approved this guidance in November 2010.

For more information about the book, how to order and a link to the electronic version check: http://www.euro.who.int/en/what-we-publish/abstracts/technical-guidance-on-water-related-disease-surveillance



Policy guidance on water-related disease surveillance

This booklet contains guidance on the policy related to water-related disease surveillance developed by the Task Force on Water-related Disease Surveillance established under the Protocol on Water and Health to the 1992 Convention on Protection and Use of Transboundary Waters and International Lakes.

The guidance explains countries’ legal obligations related to disease surveillance under the Protocol and other international frameworks, and gives advice on policy to set up and maintain an effective and efficient disease surveillance system. These explanations are coupled with illustrative examples of good practice in the European Region.

For more information about the book, how to order and a link to the electronic version check: http://www.euro.who.int/en/what-we-publish/sections/featured-publication/policy-guidance-on-water-related-disease-surveillance

Thursday, August 18, 2011

SEEHN Newsletter -- Issue 2

SEEHN Secretariat is happy to announce the publication of the second issue of its Newsletter. The issue includes articles on the political and technical process and achievements of the SEEHN, prior to the 3rd SEE Ministers of Health Forum "Health in All Policies in the SEE: A Shared Goal and Responsibility".

Monday, August 8, 2011

Preparations for 3rd SEE Ministers of Health Forum Continuing

Preparations for the 3rd SEE Ministers of Health Forum "Health In All Policies in the SEE: A Shared Goal and Responsibility" are under way. The SEEHN Executive Committee, Secretariat and Member States are working closely to finalize the relevant reports and the Banja Luka Pledge in time.

Special consideration is also being placed to the process of amending the MoU on the "Future of the SEEHN and the cooperation in public health in the SEE in 2008 and beyond" that would pave the way for increasing the membership to the SEEHN with other countries.

Stay tuned for more updates in the next days.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

SEEHN Page Views Over 6,000

The blogspot page of SEEHN Secretariat has registered over 6,000 views since when first published in November 2010, with an average of 775 views per months or about 26 views per day.

Most viewed pages remain those on the Third Ministers of Health Forum "Health in All Policies in the SEE: A Shared Goal and Responsibility" and its preparatory process, reflecting the importance and the attention given to this mega event of SEEHN for 2011.

Mental Health RHDC Project Proposal Approved by SDC

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) approved on principle the project proposal submitted by the RHDC on Mental Health in SEE (submitted through the SEEHN Secretariat), and requested few changes in budget proposal.

The project implementation will commence once the revised draft is approved by the Council of the Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the respective agreement is signed between the SEEHN, Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH and SDC.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Regular 25th SEEHN and 3rd Preparatory Meetings Concluded in Sofia, Bulgaria

The SEE Health Network Presidency, Executive Committee and Secretariat would like to kindly thank all member and partner countries for the intensive, productive and successful 25th regular and 3rd Preparatory Meetings held this month in Sofia under the Presidency of the Bulgarian Minister of Health Dr. St. Konstantinov.

We are pleased to provide you with:

1. Draft report of the meeting: please provide us with your feedback and comments;
2. Signed Decision on the establishment of 8 RHDCs;
3. Several photos from the meeting and the inauguration of the SEE RHDC on Antibiotic Resistance at the National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria.













Inauguration ceremony of the Regional Health Development Center on Mental Health in South-Eastern Europe and the First workshop Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 7th June 2011

Mr. Sredoje Novic, Minister of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 7th of June 2011 officially inaugurated the Regional Health Development Center on Mental Health in South-Eastern Europe in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

„With establishment of the Regional Health Development Center on Mental Health in South-Eastern Europe, once again Bosnia and Herzegovina is given a great honor and trust in the filed of mental health in the South-Eastern Europe“, said Minister Novic and highlighted the importance of the continuation of the cooperation in the field of mental health among South-East European countries, with support of partner organizations, as one of the key elements to ensure better mental well-being of the population in the SEE Region.

On behalf of the South-Eastern Europe Health Network, Dr. Goran Cerkez, Member of its Executive Committee stressed the importance of establishment of the RHDC and continuing the cooperation among SEE countries in the field of mental health, established through the successful implemented SEE Mental Health Project.
On behalf of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, Dr. Matthijs Muijen, Programme Manager highlighted the leading role of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the filed of mental health in the South-eastern Europe and a number of activities initiated in this area. Dr Muijen also emphasized that the WHO Regional Office for Europe, in partnership with Bosnia and Herzegovina, is dedicated to further cooperation in this area with the aim to improve mental health services in this part of Europe.

Back to back with the Inauguration of the RHDC, the First workshop was held. The First workshop brought together high level representatives of the SEE countries, members of the SEEHN Executive Committee, as well as representatives of the WHO European Region, and other partners and experts. During the First workshop was assessed the progress made since the end of the SEE Mental Health Project in December 2008 and the discussion on mental health priorities and needs for collaboration and support and the future actions in the field of mental health in SEE countries was held.

Monday, June 6, 2011

SEEHN participates at General Assembly of the EuroHealthNet, 1-2 June 2011, Ljubjana, Slovenia

SEE Health Network participated at the General Assembly of the EuroHealthNet and the Capacity Building Seminar On Progress For Health Promotion, Equity And Social Determinants, held on 1 and 2 June in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

SEE Health Network was presented at both the Seminar and the Assembly by Ms. Snezhana Chichevalieva, Chair of the Executive Committee of the SEE Health Network. Both events were followed also by the SEE Health Network regional coordinator and national coordinators for public health services from seven SEE Health Network member states.

On behalf of the SEE Health Network Executive Committee, the Chair thanked EuroHealthNet on the invitation and support to participate on both the seminar and the General Assembly, as well as on the interest to establish further collaborative cooperation with the SEE Health Network.

At the same time, the Chair of the SEE Health Network Executive Committee also thanked Slovenia for its constant support and interest as a partner country, to enhance regional cooperation in public health in the SEE and extend SEE Health Network possibilities to partner other networks in Europe that share same interests in public health, such is EuroHealthNet. SEE Health Network especially thanked Ms. Dunja Gruntar Golanda, Slovenian representative to the SEE Health Network, for her personal and professional work towards such endeavors.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

25th Meeting of the SEEHN in Sofia on 16-18 June 2011 and 3rd Preparatory Meeting for the 3rd SEE Ministers of Health Forum

The Bulgarian Presidency of the SEEHN (January-June 2011) is organizing
the 25th Meeting of the SEE Health Network in Sofia on 16-18 June 2011 and 3rd Preparatory Meeting for the 3rd SEE Ministers of Health Forum. This
joint meeting will be attended by national political coordinators of the
South-eastern Europe Health Network, representatives or experts of the
Executive Committee of the South-eastern Europe Health Network, the WHO
Regional Office for Europe, the CoE, the Regional Cooperation Council,
the International Organization for Migration, the European Health
Forum Gastein and the SEEHN public health services focal points.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss and finalize the regional
reports which will be starting points for discussion at the
South-eastern European Health Ministers' Forum to be held in Banja Luka
between 13 and 14 October 2011, as well as logistics of the event. The
main documents to be discussed during the third preparatory meeting are:
  • Draft Banja Luka Pledge (2011) on "Health in All Policies in the
    SEE"
  • Evaluation of the regional cooperation in public health in the
    SEE region 2001-2011
  • Health in All Policies in the SEE - current status, challenges
    and recommendations for the future
  • Prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases in the SEE
    Human resources for health
Working documents for the meetings:
Scope and Purpose
Agenda
Program
Information Circular
Registration Form

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Technical Meeting on Health Workforce Retention Policies Bucharest, Romania, 28-29 March 2011

The WHO Regional Office for Europe in collaboration with the Executive Committee of the South-eastern Europe Health Network organized a Technical Meeting on Health Workforce Retention Policies.

The aim of the meeting was to develop evidence on retention practices, to exchange experiences gained in countries of the South-eastern Europe Health Network, and to develop and agree upon a linking and learning path for retention policies and strategies in the region.

The outputs from the meeting were the collection of examples of emerging retention practices in countries of the SEE health network to further develop a policy brief.

The policy brief would further support embedding retention in current initiatives in the SEE Region and establishing a Regional Health Development Center on HRH.

This meeting was sponsored by the joint partnership programme between the Netherlands Ministry for Development Cooperation, the Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and WHO Regional Office for Europe. The Dutch technical partner institution of WHO is the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT), a WHO Collaborating Centre for Research, Training and Development of Human Resources for Health.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Blood Safety RHDC Training on Blood Supply Managment

South-eastern Europe (SEE) Regional Health Development Center for Blood Safety organizes its 1st training for Blood Supply management in Emergency and Special Circumstances

Safety and availability of blood and blood components/ products in emergencies and special circumstances is essential to ensure timely and appropriate patient care. Compliance to recognized quality standards along with evidence-based knowledge and skills on blood stock operability, haemovigilance and patient blood management are essential requirements for blood transfusion safety

With international expert advice and support from the Council of Europe/EDQM, WHO Europe and the WHO Collaborating Centre in quality management, Slovenia, the SEEHN training of trainers in blood transfusion safety in emergency situations aims to strengthen partnership and capacity of response in blood safety and availability, for emergencies/ special circumstances in South Eastern Europe. This event, led by the SEEHN Regional Health Development Center of blood safety, Oradea, Romania, will take place from 7 to 9 of June 2011. It is expected to be followed by a cascade field training process using e-learning mechanisms and coordinated by the National Project Managers in participating countries in close collaboration with the Regional Centre in Oradea.

The event is co-funded by the Government of Slovenia, CoE/EDQM and WHO Europe.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Draft Report of the 2nd Preparatory Meeting to the 3rd SEE Ministers of Health Forum

The second preparatory meeting for the Ministerial Forum took place in Bled, Slovenia, kindly hosted by the Ministry of Health of Slovenia, during 14-15 April 2011, and was attended by over 30 participants from all the countries of the SEEHN, the Partner Country, Slovenia, WHO/EURO, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Health Forum (IHF), and the SEEHN Executive Committee. Apologies were received from the European Commission, the Council of Europe, the Regional Cooperation Council and the Chair of the Executive Committee of the SEEHN.

The meeting discussed important issues related to the 3rd Ministerial Forum preparations related to the 3 regional reports as well as logistics of the event. the full draft report is attached in the link below. The meeting participants are kindly asked to provide their comments and suggestions to Dr Alex Berlin at the earliest convenience.

You can read or download the report by clicking here.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Second Preparatory Meeting to 3rd Forum, Bled, 14-15 April 2011

On Thursday and Friday 14 and 15 April, the Slovene Ministry of Health hosts the second preparatory meeting in Bled ahead of the third South-eastern European Health Ministers’ Forum


The purpose of the meeting is to prepare the documents and starting points for discussion at the South-eastern European Health Ministers’ Forum to be held in Banja Luka between 13 and 14 October 2011.

At the preparatory meeting, representatives of South-eastern European and other partner countries and organisations will conduct an analysis of the activities of the South-eastern Europe Health Network in the last ten years, and examine in detail the main topic of the health ministers' forum, entitled "Health in All Policies in South-eastern Europe: A Shared Goal and Responsibility”.

The event will also be attended by national political coordinators of the South-eastern Europe Health Network or public health experts from the network's member states, along with representatives or experts of the Executive Committee of the South-eastern Europe Health Network, the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the Regional Cooperation Council, the International Organisation for Migration and the European Health Forum Gastein.

Ever since its beginnings, the Republic of Slovenia has supported the activities carried out by the internationally renowned South-eastern Europe Health Network: both as a partner state as well as a donor, which is why it has the honour to host the network's second preparatory meeting. Slovenia’s role in the South-eastern Europe Health Network has in the past often been noted and acknowledged by the network itself as well as its members and the network's closest partner, the WHO.

This information can also be accessed at the page in English of the Slovenian Ministry of Health here.

Presentations during the first day of the meeting:

Evaluation of SEEHN performance in regional cooperation in public health in the SEE, 2001-2011

Quantitative Report


Health in All Policies - Presentations

ALB
BiH - Fed
BiH - RS
BUL
CRO
MDA
MNE
MKD
ROM
WHO/Venice


Input to the Banja Luka Pledge
SEEHN

Friday, April 1, 2011

Second Preparatory Meeting to 3rd SEE Ministers of Health Forum

The SEE Health Network Presidency and Executive Committee are calling the second preparatory meeting to the 3rd SEE Ministers of Health Forum "Health in All Policies in the SEE: A Shared Goal and Responsibility" Banja Luka, 13-14 October 2011. The second preparatory meeting takes place in Bled, Slovenia, during 14-15 April 2011 and is kindly hosted by the Ministry of Health of Slovenia.

The official invitations were forwarded to you via email but you can also find them, as well as the Agenda and Preliminary Program, linked below.

The second preparatory meeting will be attended by representatives of the SEEHN Presidency, Executive Committee, the SEE countries, the Organizational Committee (recently increased to include representatives of the IOM and the European Commission), as well as representatives of partner countries and organizations.

The meeting will also be attended by the SEE PHS focal points. The SEE PHS focal points are also kindly invited by the Ministry of Health of Slovenia to attend the National Workshop on the “Main Functions of Public Health in the Republic of Slovenia” that starts on 13 April 2001.

The participants are kindly requested to complete and return the Registration Form (link below) to the local organizers no later than 6 April 2011:

Ms Neva Grasic
EU Affairs and International Relations Office
phone: + 386 1 478 6090
e-mail: neva.grasic@gov.si

Ms Maja Mikanec
EU Affairs and International Relations Office
phone: + 386 1 478 6253
e-mail: maja.mikanec@gov.si


You can read or download a copy of the Invitation for SEEHN member and partners here.
You can read or download a copy of the Invitation for SEE PHS focal points here.
You can read or download a copy of the Agenda here.
You can read or download a copy of the Preliminary Program here.
You can read or download a copy of the Information Circular here.
You can read or download a copy of the Preliminary Program for Slovenian National Workshop on PHS Functions here.
Please download the Registration Form here

Thursday, March 31, 2011

SEEHN Online Survey Completed

The first SEEHN online survey was completed by 17.35 hrs on 30 March 2011. The SEEHN Executive Committee and Secretariat issued over 170 requests to prospective survey participants from all the SEEHN member and partner countries and organizations. The number of completed questionnaires is shown in the figure below.

The SEEHN Executive Committee and Secretariat would like to extend the most sincere thanks to all the officials and experts that participated in this survey, and would like to inform that the preliminary quantitative results of the survey will be presented during the 2nd preparatory meeting to the 3rd SEE Ministers of Health forum that will take place during 14-15 April in Bled, Slovenia.

The preliminary report will also be sent via email to the participants that have already registered their email addresses during the implementation of the survey. The results can also be requested via email to the SEEHN Secretariat by clicking here.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Survey Progress - 21 Mar 2011

SEE Health Network gains visibility at the European Health Policy Forum for High-Level Government Officials in Andorra la Vella, Andorra, 9–11 March 2011

The SEE Health Network gained unprecedented visibility and importance as a leader of the sub regional cooperation in SEE, at the WHO European Health Policy Forum for High-Level Government Officials held in Andorra la Vella, Andorra on 9–11 March 2011.

The representative of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Network made a Joint statement on behalf of the Network during the session on strengthening public health capacities and services in Europe where systematic approach to public health operations and services: “Towards positive coordination with health care and other sectors” was debated.

The Minister of Health of Moldova, Dr. Andrei Usatii, who chaired the session on coordinating policy action among WHO Member States and Partners towards developing European Action Plan on Noncommunicable Diseases, spoke on behalf of the SEE countries in support to the endorsement of the plan and development of further work in this area. He stressed that the Third Ministerial Forum of the Ministers of Health in SEE (Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, October, 2011), with participation of high level policy makers from other health related sectors, will be focussed on implementation of HiAP approach in SEE and will held special session to shape the response of the SEEHN Member States to noncommunicable diseases.

All interventions of Republic of Macedonia, taking both from national and sub-regional perspectives, pointed out the importance of the SEE Health Network as instrumental to cross fertilizing European and SEE developments in public health, especially towards implementation of the Tallinn Charter commitments and in developing European Health Policy “Health 2020”. The Chair of the Executive Committee of the SEEHN was part of delegation of this country.

Ms. Zsuzsanna Jakab, Regional Director of WHO Europe emphasized, especially in her concluding remarks, the strong role and importance of the SEE Health Network, that is has and will play in public health developments not only in SEE, but also in Europe, through its activities related to the European policies development and implementation.

SEE Health Network was clearly embedded into the European Health Policy Forum as a key partner for better health in Europe.

Survey Progress - 20 Mar 2011