A Monaco delegation was present at the 69th session of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Regional Committee for Europe, where the primary objective was the appointment of a new Regional Director.
Carole Lanteri, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, who led the Monegasque emissaries was joined by Director of Health Action, Alexander Bordero and Suzana Vaz, Attachéto the Permanent Mission of Monaco in Geneva.
With the stepping down of current Regional Director, Zsuzsanna Jakab, the main goal of the session was to confirm the appointment of Dr. Hans Kluge. Dr Kluge, a Belgian national, was formerly the Director of the Division of Health Systems and Public Health at WHO Europe.
“The objective is to strengthen WHO/Europe as a centre of excellence to give concrete help to countries on concrete issues, to work with determination and modesty to increase the impact at the country level, and to decrease the burden on countries – not least the small countries,” said Dr Kluge in his address to the delegation.
He went on to say that, “Member States want to see an agile WHO/Europe providing a compass for better health in the region. They want a very pragmatic toolbox for accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. We have to take into account global health, the regional context, but also countries’ cultural and health system specificities.”
Additionally, the meeting tackled regional health concerns, such as the creation of global primary health care for the region, as well as the necessary financial, budgetary and administrative matters.
The yearly meeting was held from 16th to 19th September in Copenhagen.