Minister of Health Tomáš Drucker leads the delegation of the Slovak Republic, which participates in the 66th session of the WHO EURO Regional Committee in Copenhagen on 12 and 13 September 2016. It is a regular autumn meeting of top representatives and experts of the Member States of the World Health Organisation of the European region. The Slovak delegation will present the positions of the European Union as President of the country.
The main themes of the meeting in Denmark are the 2030 Health Agenda, the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, the HIV and viral hepatitis action plan, the health of refugees and migrants; the strengthening of integrated health services, the Women's Health Strategy, the sexual and reproductive health action plans and the use of registration and information and research knowledge in policy-making in the WHO Member States, as well as the reform of the WHO.
Before the official opening of the meeting of the WHO Regional Committee, the Minister of Health of the Slovak Republic Tomáš Drucker will meet with Danish Crown Princess Mary on 12 September 2016 and the main topic of their discussion will be the issue of vaccination, which is becoming more topical today, also taking into account the need to ensure a sufficient number of vaccines. Today's agenda also includes a bilateral discussion of Minister Tomáš Drucker with Danish Health Minister Sophie Lohde Jacobsen on the priorities of the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the EU. They will also touch the drug issue and antibiotic microbial resistance. At the meeting of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, which will start on 13 September, the Minister for Health Tomáš Drucker will act as a representative for the health field within the Slovak Republic Presidency of the Council of the EU. During the Presidency Slovakia is focusing on the accessibility of innovative, quality and affordable medicines. Another is antimicrobial resistance, which poses a major threat to global, regional and national health security. The main themes of SK PRES include vaccination as an effective tool to combat antibiotic over-consumption and increasing resistance to these medicines. During the Slovak Presidency, several expert conferences are also prepared, e.g. on preventing non-communicable diseases and healthy lifestyles as well as Alzheimer's disease.
The focus of the official agenda is health by 2030, the provision of integrated health services as well as the reform of WHO work on health management. State Secretary Stanislav Špánik will speak on the topic of prevention of non-communicable chronic diseases at a professional briefing on health promotion.
During the meeting of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, the elections and nominations will be to WHO summit bodies, with the Slovak Republic applying for a post as a member of the Standing Committee of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe. Our candidacy has entered a shortlist of candidates and the final decision will be confirmed during the election.
Place: CopenhagenDate:12 September 2016