The South Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) was represented by Dr. Tatiana Paduraru, SEEHN Director, and Dr. Svetlana Nicolaescu, Chair of the SEEHN Executive Committee and State Secretary at the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Moldova, at the EuroHealthNet General Council Meeting (GCM) and Annual Seminar, held in Brussels from 11 to 13 June 2025.

This high-level, three-day gathering convened health leaders, policymakers, and public health experts from across Europe to explore joint strategies for addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change, health promotion, and health equity. The event served as a vital forum for knowledge exchange, policy alignment, and collaborative planning to build a healthier and more equitable Europe.

Dr. Paduraru and Dr. Nicolaescu contributed to strategic discussions on the evolving role of public health in climate action, the development of EuroHealthNet’s Strategic Development Plan 2026–2031, and the adoption of a new Ethical Framework for Health Promotion. Their active engagement reaffirmed SEEHN’s commitment to strengthening regional cooperation and public health leadership in the face of global health challenges.

A key feature of the programme was the Annual Seminar on “Climate Change and Health: Using the Health Argument to Mitigate and Adapt,” hosted by the Spanish Permanent Representation to the EU. The seminar focused on the mounting health impacts of climate change—particularly for vulnerable populations—and the urgent need for health-informed climate action.

The sessions explored evidence-based approaches to:

• Address the growing health and health equity impacts of climate change;
• Foster intersectoral collaboration to tackle environmental health determinants;
• Equip public health leaders with tools for climate adaptation and resilience;
• Align regional and national strategies with European and global policy frameworks.

The EuroHealthNet GCM 2025 reaffirmed the importance of coordinated European responses to health inequalities and climate threats. SEEHN commends EuroHealthNet for organizing a forward-thinking and impactful meeting, and looks forward to continued collaboration in shaping resilient and equitable health systems across the region.

The South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) proudly supports the celebration of World Blood Donor Day on 14 June 2025, joining the global call to action under this year’s inspiring theme: “Give blood, give hope: together we save lives.”

This powerful message highlights a simple yet life-changing act: giving blood. Voluntary blood donors offer more than just a medical resource—they give hope, restore dignity, and offer a second chance at life. Their selfless contributions are a testament to the values of community, solidarity, and shared responsibility that lie at the heart of resilient health systems.

SEEHN calls on governments, healthcare institutions, and civil society across the region to strengthen national blood systems, promote voluntary and unpaid blood donation, and build greater public awareness around the ongoing need for safe, regular blood donations.

Member States are encouraged to support this year’s campaign by organizing community outreach activities, launching educational initiatives, deploying mobile donation units, and publicly recognizing the vital role of regular blood donors. These efforts reflect SEEHN’s broader commitment to universal health coverage, cross-border cooperation, and stronger, more inclusive health systems across South-eastern Europe.

As we mark World Blood Donor Day, SEEHN extends sincere gratitude to all blood donors in the region. Together, we give blood. Together, we give hope.

Skopje, 30 May 2025 – The South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) proudly joins the World Health Organization and public health allies around the globe in marking World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) on 31 May 2025, under the global theme: “Unmask the Appeal – #TobaccoExposed.”

This year’s campaign puts the spotlight on the manipulative strategies used by the tobacco and nicotine industries to attract new users, especially children and young people. These include flavoured products, misleading packaging, digital marketing, and the normalization of tobacco use in public and private settings.

To deepen understanding and inspire action, SEEHN encourages viewing the recorded WHO event held on 13 May 2025, which explored how product design and marketing continue to lure young people into nicotine addiction—and how governments can push back.

📺 Watch the recorded event:

👉 WHO: Unmask the Appeal of Tobacco and Nicotine Products

Tobacco use continues to be a leading cause of preventable disease and death across South-Eastern Europe. According to the eighth edition of WHO’s Tobacco Packaging and Labelling Global Status Report (October 2023)[1], SEEHN Member Countries were ranked (out of 173) as follows:

• Albania – 31
• Bosnia and Herzegovina – 132
• Bulgaria – 31
• Israel – 31
• Moldova (Republic of) – 31
• Montenegro – 141
• North Macedonia – 141
• Romania – 31
• Serbia – 141

SEEHN commends the Republic of Moldova for taking decisive new steps to strengthen its national tobacco control policies. In May 2025, Moldova’s Parliament passed in second reading a comprehensive law developed by the Ministry of Health and the National Agency for Public Health, aimed at closing regulatory gaps and extending protections across all tobacco and related products, including electronic cigarettes and hookahs.

These bold steps place Moldova at the forefront of regional tobacco control efforts and align with FCTC best practices in public space protection, denormalization of tobacco use, and health equity.

SEEHN reaffirms its commitment to tobacco control through stronger regional collaboration, support for national legislation including flavour bans, and public education campaigns that empower youth to resist industry manipulation.

#SEEHN #WorldNoTobaccoDay #WNTD2025 #TobaccoExposed #UnmaskTheAppeal #TobaccoControl #PublicHealth #FCTC #YouthHealth #SouthEasternEurope #HealthEquity #SmokeFree #NicotineAddiction #ProtectChildren #MoldovaHealth #FlavourBan

[1] https://cancer.ca/-/media/files/about-us/media-releases/2024/international-warnings-report/ccs-international-cigarette-packaging-report-2023-english.pdf