It is celebrated every year on 7 April with the aim of drawing attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. On this date in 1948, World Health Organization was founded.

This year, the World Health Day is dedicated to raising the awareness on the threats posed by climate change and calls for governments to take immediate steps on climate change to protect the health of the communities they serve.

According to WHO, 13 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes and climate change is expected to cause approximately 250 000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050 and a wider range of health problems such as respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, injuries, and premature death.

The global scale of environmental health problems requires consideration on how to curtail its size within the limits of global ecological sustainability.  Enhancing the public narrative about climate change is not only justified, but it would make a difference in policy surrounding the paradigm.

The 2030 agenda recognizes that the relationship between health, economic development and social cohesion is linked to climate change and calls for a roadmap for climate actions that will reduce emissions and build climate resilience.

Building upon the knowledge that people’s health is intertwined with our planet’s climate, health must take a pivotal part of every country’s climate policy. The campaign “Our planet, our health” lays extraordinary foundational premises for intensive efforts to protect the health of the planet and the well-being of its people!

Belgrade, 1 April 2022 – As a follow up to the recently completed project “Mental Health and Resilience Training for healthcare workers responding to COVID-19 in SEE Region”, SEEHN Secretariat Director Dr. Mira Jovanovski – Dasic paid a working visit to the the Clinic for Psychiatric Diseases and the Mental Health Center “Laza Lazarevic” in Belgrade.  The visit was hosted by the Clinic’s Director Prof. Ivana Stasevic Karlicic, MD, who was also the Mental Health Expert and Master Trainer from Serbia during the project. 

The first part of the visit was organized at the premises of the Clinic for Psychiatric Diseases in Visegradska 26 where the meeting between the directors was held, also attended by the National Focal Point from Serbia Assistant Prof. Vladan Djordjevic, MD.  Prof. Stasevic Karlicic used this opportunity to present the latest novelties introduced in the field of mental health in Serbia, mainly relating to easier access to mental health services, anonimous, free of charge and without the need of presenting the health insurance card or the GP’s refferal in order to avoid possible stigma.  She also explained that persons with mental health issues since recently also have the possibility to contact experts online.

Dr. Jovanovski – Dasic thanked Prof. Stasevic Karlicic for her invaluable contribution during the implementation phase of the project and her kind hospitality.  She expressed hope that by joining forces this momentum can continue and much more will be done for mental health well being in the Region.

After the meeting, a tour of the Mental Health Centre in Terazije 3/3 was organized.

Belgrade, 29 March 2022 – In the light of the recent establishment of the Organizational Board for the Fifth Ministerial Forum, director of SEEHN Secretariat Dr. Mira Jovanovski – Dasic and Chair of SEEHN Executive Committee and National Health Coordinator of the Republic of Serbia Dr. Danijela Urosevic met today at the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia. 

The purpose of the meeting was to elaborate on the most important questions regarding the forthcoming Forum that is going to be hosted by the Republic of Serbia in June.  Dr. Urosevic suggested the Forum to be held during the first half of June, having in mind the tight agenda and the end of the Serbian Presidency.  She also proposed potential venues and reminded that she will continuously support all the activities through her role in the Organizational Board.   Dr. Dasic informed that the Secretariat is intensively working on the preparation of the necessary documents, including the draft text of the Belgrade Pledge that will be soon shared for comments with all member states. She added that in the next period the SEEHN Secretariat would organize a series of virtual meetings with the aim of monitoring the progress towards a successful event.