WHO Regional Office for Europe

Following the onset of war in Ukraine, millions of people have been welcomed in countries across the WHO European Region. Among those fleeing are health care professionals, just like Kateryna and Iryna, two nurses now providing health care in their communities in Slovakia 🇸🇰 If we support #refugee and #migrant health workers 🩺 to continue their education and practice, they can: 👉 Contribute to the health systems and communities in their host countries 👉 Rebuild their health systems back home For more on our joint project with IOM Europe and Central Asia and IOM Global Office Brussels and EU Health and Food Safety: 👉 bit.ly/WHO-IOM-EU #MigrantsDay #EveryStep #EU4Health #HealthForAll

The holidays can be lonely and stressful. For people with #MentalHealth conditions, these stressors may cause symptoms to get worse. If you’re worried about someone, here’s what you should know:

Have an autoimmune condition? You might experience severe COVID-19 and flu. The pandemic taught us how to protect ourselves and others from respiratory diseases. Take 5 actions: get 💉 when offered stay 🏠if sick wear a 😷 in crowds clean your 🙌 ventilate your🏠

No one knows your risk like you do. Have a lung condition? You might experience severe influenza. COVID-19 taught us how to protect ourselves and others from respiratory diseases. Schedule your flu vaccination soon - #LikeOnlyYouCan

In 2024, we proudly served the 53 countries in the WHO European Region in advancing #HealthForAll through digital solutions. From strengthening networks and knowledge exchange to scaling #DigitalHealth tools, we continue working to improve health and lives across our region. Discover our annual report to learn more about our activities and achievements in data, evidence, and digital health this year. David Novillo Ortiz, PhD, Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, Clayton Hamilton, Keyrellous Adib, Tyrone Reden Sy, Marieke Verschuuren, Karapet Davtyan, Stefania Davia, Helen Caton-Peters MSN, RN, FAAN, Ryan Dos Santos, Roman Spataru

🔈 Earlier this year, we successfully completed the WHO European Public Health Leadership Course (PHLC) 2024 in Kazakhstan, from 1-12 July. This course, organized by our WHO Athens Quality of Care and Patient Safety Office in collaboration with the WHO Country Office in Kazakhstan, was truly special. During this in-person week, participants focused, among other topics, on: 🔹 addressing emerging and re-emerging public health challenges 🔹 highlighting the importance of mental health care services, with a strong focus on children and adolescents 🔹 exploring innovative leadership techniques for more effective public health management 🔹 utilizing digital solutions and big data platforms to improve public health outcomes 🔹 implementing evidence-based strategies to effectively counter mis- and disinformation in public health.

It’s time to #EndStigma in mental health! Many people who live with mental health conditions find stigma and discrimination more challenging than the condition itself. Following on the recommendations of The Lancet Commission on ending stigma and discrimination in mental health, we developed the Mosaic toolkit to provide practical guidance on how to tackle stigma & discrimination 💪 Whether you are a policy-maker, mental health professional, NGO or young person, the Mosaic toolkit offers a clear step-by-step process to creating evidence-informed anti-stigma activities: https://bit.ly/whomosaic Ending stigma and discrimination in mental health starts with each us, in each of our communities.

📢 Can health professionals be the catalyst for change in addressing Europe's alcohol burden? At the European alcohol health alliance symposium in Denmark, representatives of 22 European health organizations gathered to discuss coordinated action to tackle alcohol-related harm. Experts emphasized the critical role of healthcare professionals in addressing this public health challenge. 🔹 Frank Murray, gastroenterologist from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, emphasized, "There is no safe level of alcohol consumption." He called on clinicians and healthcare organizations to advocate for evidence-based alcohol policies, free from industry interference, to improve citizens' well-being. "For too long, policy, distribution, advertising and pricing have been dominated by the alcohol industry. Health professionals must make their voices heard". 🔹 The magnitude of the issue calls for immediate action. Aleksander Krag, Secretary General of EASL | The Home of Hepatology, revealed, "We are looking at 3 million annual deaths globally - 800,000 in Europe - due to alcohol." Krag stressed the power of unity, stating, "If we come together and speak one voice, then I'm sure we can bring science and knowledge into action." 🔹 Catherine Paradis, #WHO expert, underscored the unique position of health professionals in promoting public health. Drawing parallels with past successes, she noted, "Health professionals are uniquely positioned to talk about the consequences of alcohol use. They possess a unique combination of expertise and public trust." Paradis pointed out that when health professionals got involved in the fight against tobacco, significant change began to occur. This symposium marks a crucial step in uniting #healthcare voices across Europe. With their expertise and public trust, health professionals can play a pivotal role in advocating for effective alcohol policies, potentially improving public health across the continent. European Academy of Paediatrics (EAP) European Association for the Study of Diabetes e.V. (EASD) The European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians (EFAD) European Psychiatric Association European Renal Association (ERA) European Medical Students’ Association (EMSA) Association of European Cancer Leagues European Society of Cardiology Biomedical Alliance in Europe World Heart Federation WONCA Europe UEG - United European Gastroenterology International Society of Addiction Medicine ICN-International Council of Nurses European Society of Radiology European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) ESPEN - European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism European Sleep Research Society EUROPEAN UNION GERIATRIC MEDICINE SOCIETY-SOCIETE DE MEDECINE GERIATRIQUE DE L'UNION EUROPEENNE #AlcoholPolicies #EVIDAction

📢𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗛𝗢/𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗵𝗼𝗹 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀! - Are you a young leader aged 18-30, fluent in English, and passionate about advancing health and well-being free from alcohol-related harm in your community? - If you are studying, working, or living in one of the 27 EU Member States, Iceland, Norway or Ukraine, this is your chance to join an expanding network of youth advocates shaping the future of alcohol policy in Europe. - In this second call for applications, we are seeking to enlarge the membership of the EVID-ACTION Youth Network and aim to include four representatives per country, ensuring diverse voices are heard across the region! 🙋 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸? The WHO/EU Evidence into Action Alcohol Project (EVID-ACTION), led by WHO/Europe in collaboration with the European Commission, supports countries in reducing alcohol-related harm through evidence-based policies. Read more about the project here: https://bit.ly/3SlTF3U To ensure young people’s voices are at the heart of this work, we established the EVID-ACTION Youth Network, a platform where young advocates can collaborate on activities to reduce alcohol harm, support communications combating stigma and discrimination, and ensure that youth perspectives are integrated in the policy dialogue. 🗣️ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 Alcohol is a significant public health challenge, causing more than 200 health conditions, including cancer, injuries, and mental health disorders. Young people in the WHO European Region are especially affected. Among those aged 20-24 years, 1 in 4 deaths is directly linked to alcohol use. For young people, alcohol is not only a leading cause of death but also a driver of social harm. Heavy episodic drinking significantly increases the risks of injuries, aggression, violence, intimate partner violence, and academic underperformance. 💡 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 We are seeking motivated individuals who can commit to: - Annual participation in at least one in-person forum meeting (or nominating a representative, with prior approval). - Adhering to working arrangements, including confidentiality and conflict-of-interest requirements. - Contributing time to workplan tasks and projects. 📝 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 We value diversity and encourage applications from young people who are: - Health professionals, students, or community leaders. - Living with disabilities, chronic diseases, or facing marginalization due to gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. - Refugees, migrants, or those affected by homelessness, violence, or limited access to services. 🌟 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱? Please fill out the application form here: https://bit.ly/3ZZAHU8 The deadline for applications is 10 January 2025. Access the full flyer of the 'call for applicants' here: https://bit.ly/4gkqmI5

📢 New WHO/Europe Report on quality of care and patient safety across the WHO European Region. Our WHO Office on Quality of Care and Patient Safety is launching the first-ever Report on Quality of Care and Patient Safety across the WHO European Region, based on data from all 53 member states.    And what do key findings from the first-ever regional report reveal?   🔺 Only 1 in 3 countries in the Region have implemented a national action plan on quality of care and/or patient safety. 🔺 Around 1 in 10 patients in the Region is harmed during health care. 🔺 In primary and ambulatory care, as many as 4 in 10 patients experience harm. ❌ At least 50% of these incidents are avoidable. The report also highlights the strong link between the quality of care and life expectancy, mortality from non-communicable diseases, and patient harm. Explore our new report, including detailed country profiles, and see how we can work together to make health care safer and more effective. 🔗 https://bit.ly/QoCReport #QoCReport