The 47th SEEHN Plenary Meeting: Strengthening Community Health Services
The South Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) successfully organized its annual 47th Plenary Meeting, bringing together high-level representatives from member states, Ministries of Health, Directors of the Regional Health Development Centers, diplomatic corps and international partners.
The central theme of the 47th SEEHN Plenary Meeting held on 20-21 June in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina was “Strengthening Community Health Services”. The event aimed at providing a platform for robust discussions, sharing of best practices, and formulating strategies to strengthen community health services in the SEE region.
During the dedicated sessions, representatives shared their experiences and achievements in promoting community health services while addressing the challenges and potential solutions to their particular contexts.
At the same time, experts from various fields, including primary health care, epidemiologists, mental health experts, Ministry of health representatives delivered insightful presentations, underscoring the importance of cross-sectoral cooperation and active involvement of all segments of society to promote universal health coverage with people centered approach.
Participants underlined the significance of collaboration among governments, healthcare professionals, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to address, promote and implement better community health services.
Discussions centered on developing and implementing effective health communication strategies to reach out to communities and individuals to empower and promote healthy choices. Experts emphasized the need for clear, accurate, and culturally sensitive messaging tailored to different population segments and the utilization of digital platforms to increase health literacy.
SEEHN Plenary Meeting also forward-looked at the strategic governance and future objectives for the Southeastern Europe Health Network. Key highlights included the signing of the Belgrade Pledge, strategic planning for the next four years, and the presentation of the SEEHN Presidency Report and SEEHN Road Map.
The meeting outlined the strategic priorities of SEEHN for the upcoming four-year period that would support member states and partners to effectively align their efforts and resources.
During the closed session dedicated to Member States representatives, a new Executive Committee for the next two years was elected. The member states represented at the new ExCOM are ALB, BIH, ISR, MDA, and ROM.
At the meeting, for the first time, the award, “Dr Alexandre Berlin”, was given to the Federal Assistant Minister of Health, Dr. Goran Cerkez, for his outstanding contribution and commitment to regional cooperation in health in South-Eastern Europe over the past 20 years.
The SEEHN Plenary Meeting concluded with a collective commitment to implement the strategies and recommendations formulated during the event. The meeting witnessed unprecedented engagement and dedication from all participants, highlighting their commitment to safeguarding public health and strengthening health systems in the SEEHN region.
