Taranto, Italy | 12 October 2026

The South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) participated in the international meeting “One Health, Air Pollution, Digital Innovation & Social Health Inequalities – European and Balkan Perspectives for Public Health Resilience,” hosted by ASL Taranto, Italy, on October 12, 2026.

Bringing together public health authorities and experts from Italy – Local Health Authority of Taranto (ASL Taranto) – Calliope Center on Research, Innovation and Technology Transfer Unit, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the meeting explored how to address environmental exposure, social inequalities, and emerging digital technologies through more integrated and resilient public health policies.

SEEHN was represented by Dr. Tatiana Paduraru, Director of the SEEHN Secretariat, Ms Vesna Arsova, SEEHN Financial Officer, along with Dr. Igor Spiroski from the Institute of Public Health of North Macedonia and Mr. Goran Miljević from the Public Health Institute of the Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In her intervention, Dr. Paduraru highlighted the shared health challenges facing the Western Balkans, including the burden of air pollution, persistent health outcome inequalities, and the need to strengthen regional cooperation to support European integration.

Drawing on regional evidence, she emphasized that PM2.5 concentrations across all six Western Balkan economies remain above WHO-recommended levels, with North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina experiencing particularly high rates of pollution-attributable mortality.

The contributions from Skopje and Banja Luka provided additional perspectives on environmental health surveillance, epidemiological monitoring, social vulnerability, and institutional responses to air pollution.

The program also explored the potential of the One Health approach, integrated environmental and health monitoring, and artificial intelligence and digital innovation to improve public health decision-making.

A dedicated working session focused on opportunities for inter-institutional cooperation and the development of joint initiatives using European funding instruments, including Horizon Europe, EU4Health, IPA III, Cost-action and Interreg.

Marking its 25th anniversary in 2026, SEEHN continues to support regional dialogue, the exchange of expertise, and cooperation among its member countries. The discussions in Taranto underscored the importance of these efforts in addressing environmental health challenges that transcend national borders and require coordinated responses.

Dr Tatiana Păduraru, Director of the South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) Secretariat, highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in strengthening health-system resilience and preparedness during discussions on cross-border health security and crisis response.

With nine Member States facing many shared and interconnected challenges, including infectious disease threats, antimicrobial resistance, health workforce mobility and vulnerabilities in the supply of essential medicines and vaccines, no country can prepare for every crisis in isolation.

SEEHN provides an established platform for peer learning, information exchange, shared intelligence and coordinated regional action. By bringing countries together, the Network helps them compare experiences, identify common vulnerabilities and develop practical approaches that complement national preparedness and wider European and global mechanisms.

A key example is SEEHN’s ongoing work on regional vaccine access and supply resilience, exploring the feasibility of joint procurement and vaccine-sharing arrangements. Looking ahead, strengthening information exchange, regional technical cooperation and regular joint preparedness exercises will be essential to translating policy commitments into operational capacity.

“Regional cooperation can amplify national capacity; it cannot replace it. SEEHN’s added value is in helping countries learn from one another, share intelligence and build the trust and practical arrangements needed to act together when a crisis occurs,” said Dr Păduraru.

She emphasised that the objective is not to create parallel structures, but to connect national, regional, European and global efforts more effectively.

“Five years from now, we should not have to start negotiating cooperation from zero when the next cross-border health threat emerges. We should already know whom to contact, what information to share and how to coordinate our response. Preparedness must become routine practice, not an emergency project activated after a crisis begins.”

Through its regional cooperation and the work of its Regional Health Development Centres, SEEHN will continue supporting its Member States in strengthening resilience, advancing mutual learning and turning shared priorities into practical action.

10 October 2026 | South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN)

On World Mental Health Day 2026, the South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) joins international efforts to center people’s experiences in mental health policies and services. This year’s theme, “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change,” underscores the importance of listening to those directly affected and ensuring their perspectives help shape more responsive, inclusive, and effective mental health care.

Across Southeastern Europe, countries have made progress in recognizing mental health as an integral part of public health. Yet significant challenges remain. Access to services varies widely, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Shortages of specialized professionals, stigma, and the continued reliance on institutional care in some settings underscore the need for sustained investment and reform.

Improving mental health care requires more than expanding existing services. It means bringing support closer to where people live, strengthening the links among primary health care, specialized services, and social support, and ensuring continuity of care. It also means giving people a genuine voice in decisions about their treatment and recovery.

For SEEHN, regional cooperation is an important means of advancing these efforts. Through its Member States and the Regional Health Development Centre on Mental Health, the Network supports dialogue, professional exchange, and the sharing of approaches that can inform national policies and services.

The diverse experiences of countries across Southeastern Europe offer valuable opportunities for mutual learning. Successful approaches to community-based care, workforce development, and mental health promotion can inform reforms elsewhere while enabling countries to respond to their own health-system needs and circumstances.

The theme of World Mental Health Day 2026 also speaks to how health policies are developed. Meaningful participation requires opportunities for people with lived experience, their families, and representative organizations to contribute throughout the policy process, from identifying priorities to assessing the quality and accessibility of services.

As SEEHN prepares the Bucharest Pledge and its next Strategic Action Plan, mental health remains a key part of the broader discussion on resilient, equitable, and people-centered health systems. The Network will continue to encourage cooperation with the WHO Regional Office for Europe and other partners, building on the expertise and experience across its Member States.

Listening to lived experience is an important first step. Ensuring that it informs decisions and improves services gives that commitment meaning. On this World Mental Health Day, SEEHN reaffirms its commitment to mental health care that respects individual dignity, supports recovery, and enables people to remain connected to their families and communities.

Bad Hofgastein, Austria, 28 September–2 October 2026 – The South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) is taking part in the 2026 Capacity Building Initiative (CBI) and the 29th European Health Forum Gastein (EHFG), continuing its work to support stronger health systems, better preparedness and cooperation across the region.

SEEHN is represented by Dr Svetlana Nicolaescu, Deputy Secretary General, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Moldova and member of the SEEHN Executive Committee, and Prof. Dr Milena Vasic, Head of the Department for Scientific Research and Project Coordination at the Institute of Public Health of Serbia.

Organised by the European Health Forum Gastein together with the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, the 2026 Capacity Building Initiative focuses on a question that has become increasingly important for health systems across Europe: how to be better prepared for future crises. Participants are looking at practical challenges in governance, financing, the health workforce and service delivery, while discussing lessons from COVID-19 and other crises and how these can be reflected in national preparedness planning.

These discussions are closely linked to this year’s European Health Forum Gastein theme, “Health for a stronger European Union – high time for action!” The programme looks at preparedness not only as a health issue, but also as an important part of Europe’s security, stability and cohesion. With health threats increasingly crossing national borders, cooperation between countries and institutions remains essential.

For the SEEHN representatives, the CBI and EHFG are also an opportunity to meet colleagues and public health experts from across Europe, share experiences from their own countries and discuss common challenges. The exchanges are intended to help translate lessons and experience into practical priorities for stronger preparedness and health security.

SEEHN’s participation builds on its cooperation with the European Health Forum Gastein, which has continued to provide opportunities for SEEHN Member States to take part in European health policy discussions and capacity-building activities. This year, EHFG made dedicated places available to SEEHN Member States, while the SEEHN Secretariat provided co-financing for participation in the CBI and the EHFG conference.

Participation in Gastein is part of SEEHN’s broader work to bring its Member States together, encourage the exchange of experience and strengthen links between the South-eastern European region and the wider European health community. The lessons and contacts developed through initiatives such as the CBI can support Member States as they work to build health systems that are better prepared for future challenges.

Skopje, 24 September 2026

The South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) contributed to the virtual side event of the 76th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, “Showcasing innovation for public health: from intelligence to concrete innovations ready to scale,” held on 22 September 2026.

The event brought together senior health leaders, experts and partners to discuss how emerging innovations can move beyond promising ideas and become sustainable approaches embedded in health systems, governance and financing. The programme included the presentation of early regional horizon-scanning work on innovations for healthy ageing, followed by a high-level panel examining the policy implications of five emerging innovation areas.

Dr Tatiana Păduraru, Head of the SEEHN Secretariat, participated as a panelist alongside Ilona Kickbusch, Shamsullozod Manuchehr, Iveta Nagyova and Hyobum Jang, following keynote and horizon-scanning contributions from Gauden Galea and Luc de Witte.

From innovation to implementation

Speaking from the perspective of SEEHN and its nine Member States, Dr Păduraru emphasized that the challenge is not always a lack of innovative ideas.

“We need to move from projects to systems, from pilots to scale, and from participation as an activity to participation as a principle of health-system design.”

Her contribution focused particularly on community building and social participation as an essential dimension of innovation for healthy ageing.

She highlighted that many approaches already have a strong foundation of experience — including social prescribing, peer support, community connectors, intergenerational initiatives, informal-care support and age-friendly communities. The challenge is to create the policy, governance and financing conditions that allow such approaches to become part of routine health and social systems rather than remaining isolated projects.

Innovation requires governance, investment and collaboration

Dr Păduraru stressed that community-centred innovation cannot depend solely on short-term projects or individual champions. Sustainable implementation requires clear mandates, appropriate financing, delivery capacity and coordination between health services, social services, civil society, education, and communities.

She also highlighted the importance of ensuring that innovation reaches people who are most at risk of exclusion — including people experiencing social isolation, frailty, disability, poverty, rural isolation or digital exclusion.

“The real innovation is creating the architecture that allows these actors to work together.”

This perspective aligns closely with the broader objective of the WHO Europe session: strengthening the innovation ecosystem and helping countries close the gap between promising innovations and sustainable adoption at scale.

Five areas for the future of healthy ageing

The discussion also drew on Luc de Witte’s horizon-scanning work, presented during the event, identifying emerging areas of innovation relevant to healthy ageing.

These include:

🔹 Self-management, Prevention and lifestyle support — strengthening opportunities for people to maintain health and independence in their everyday environments;

🔹 Technology and digital solutions — including remote care, digital health applications and technologies that can support people to live independently;

🔹 Age-friendly housing & environments — creating physical and social environments that enable older people to maintain functioning and participation;

🔹 Community-building and social participation— strengthening community connections, social participation and locally based support;

🔹 Integrated care policies — connecting health, social and community services around the needs of individuals rather than around institutional boundaries.

For SEEHN, these areas are particularly relevant as Member States respond to population ageing, NCDs, workforce pressures, social isolation and growing inequalities between and within communities.

A regional role for SEEHN

Dr Păduraru underlined the value of regional cooperation and peer learning in helping countries move from innovation to implementation.

With nine Member States representing diverse health systems and socioeconomic contexts, SEEHN can provide a platform for countries to exchange experience, understand what makes an innovation work, adapt approaches to different contexts and identify the policy and institutional conditions required for scale-up.

Rather than simply replicating a model developed elsewhere, countries can ask what can realistically be transferred, what needs to be adapted and what enabling conditions are necessary.

The event’s emphasis on moving from intelligence to concrete innovations ready to scale provides an important basis for continued cooperation among WHO/Europe, Member States and regional networks such as SEEHN.

Ohrid, Republic of North Macedonia – 25 September 2026

The Director of the South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) Secretariat, Dr Tatiana Păduraru, participated on 25 September in the 6th International Congress of the Macedonian Association of Nurses and Midwives (MANM) in Ohrid, held under the theme “A Profession that Inspires Care. Dedication that Changes Lives.”

Addressing participants from North Macedonia and the wider region, Dr Păduraru highlighted the increasingly strategic role of nurses and midwives in resilient, people-centred health systems, emphasising that nursing today extends beyond care delivery to include leadership, education, research, advocacy, management and participation in health-policy development.

“I would add one more word to the Congress theme: leadership,” Dr Păduraru said, stressing that nurses and midwives must be enabled to use their education and competencies fully and to contribute to decisions shaping health services and policies.

The Congress addressed a broad range of issues, including nursing leadership, workforce development, digital transformation and artificial intelligence, patient safety, quality of care, emergency preparedness, professional development, mental health, ageing and community-based care.

From a regional perspective, Dr Păduraru highlighted that SEEHN’s nine Member States face many shared challenges, including health workforce shortages and migration, changing population needs, increasing demand for chronic and long-term care, technological transformation and the need to strengthen health-system resilience.

She also highlighted SEEHN’s regional mechanisms for advancing nursing and midwifery cooperation, including the Regional Health Development Centre (RHDC) on Nursing and Midwifery, hosted by Romania, and the WHO Regional Collaboration Centre in Israel. These mechanisms provide important channels for regional exchange, professional collaboration and the development of nursing and midwifery leadership.

“SEEHN stands ready to support and accelerate reforms, strengthen regional learning and promote nursing and midwifery leadership across South-Eastern Europe,” Dr Păduraru emphasised.

SEEHN congratulates the Macedonian Association of Nurses and Midwives and the Organising Committee for convening the Congress and bringing together professionals and partners around the future of nursing and midwifery in the region.

Skopje, 2 September 2026 – The South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) marked its 25th anniversary, celebrating a quarter-century of regional cooperation, solidarity and shared commitment to better health across South-Eastern Europe. The event was jointly organized with with the Embassy of Romania to the Republic of North Macedonia and the „Dobredojde Macedonia Welcome Centre”.

Established with the signing of the Dubrovnik Pledge on 2 September 2001, SEEHN has grown into a unique intergovernmental platform connecting Member States, health institutions, professionals and policymakers across the region. Over the past 25 years, the Network, together with the World Health Organization, the European Union and other international partners, has promoted knowledge exchange, capacity building and cooperation across key public health and health system priorities.

As part of the SEEHN 25th Anniversary celebrations, representatives of Member States, partners and friends of the Network came together in Skopje for a Coffee Morning Reception, in Skopje, home to the SEEHN Secretariat.

The gathering provided an opportunity to reflect on SEEHN’s journey, recognise the people and partnerships that have sustained the Network, and look towards the future of regional health cooperation. The programme included opening remarks, anniversary reflections, video messages from international partners and SEEHN Member States, and a networking reception.

Welcoming participants, Mr Sasho Klekovski, Minister of Health of the Republic of North Macedonia, highlighted SEEHN’s role in connecting health institutions, professionals and policymakers and transforming regional solidarity into practical cooperation. As the host country of the SEEHN Secretariat, North Macedonia reaffirmed its commitment to the Network and to the principles of regional partnership and solidarity. Also, Minister Klekovski highlighted one of the important public health messages: ”The experience of the past quarter of a century has shown us a simple but powerful truth: diseases do not recognize borders, and neither should our commitment to protecting health.”

The anniversary is being marked during the Romanian Presidency of SEEHN (July 2026 – June 2027). Representing the Romanian Presidency, Ms Veronica Ciolca, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of Romania to the Republic of North Macedonia, reaffirmed Romania’s commitment to working with Member States, the SEEHN Secretariat and partners to build on the achievements of the past 25 years and further strengthen regional health cooperation.

She mentioned the priorities of the Romanian Presidency of SEEHN as well as the strategic vision and the political milestones, emphasizing that digital transformation and strengthening the health workforce and nursing leadership are key to successful healthcare and concrete results.

Dr Tatiana Păduraru, Head of the SEEHN Secretariat, reflected on the Network’s transformation from an initiative created during a challenging period for the region into an enduring community built on trust, dialogue and cooperation.

“Twenty-five years is much more than an anniversary. It is a quarter of a century of countries choosing cooperation over isolation, dialogue over distance, and solidarity over working alone,” Dr Păduraru said.

She emphasised that one of SEEHN’s most important achievements is the community of policymakers, health professionals, experts, institutions and partners built across the region over the past quarter-century.

The anniversary comes at a time when health systems across the region are being reshaped by health workforce pressures, demographic change, digital transformation, growing mental health needs, climate-related challenges and renewed demands for health security and emergency preparedness.These priorities will be central to the work of the Romanian Presidency of SEEHN and the Member States, including preparations for the next SEEHN Ministerial Forum, which will provide an important opportunity to reaffirm political commitments and define priorities for the next phase of regional health cooperation.

SEEHN will continue to strengthen cooperation and peer learning among Member States, support its Regional Health Development Centres, and bring political commitment and technical expertise together around practical responses to common health challenges.

Twenty-five years after the Dubrovnik Pledge, SEEHN remains anchored in the principles on which it was founded: trust, solidarity and partnership, and the recognition that the health of each country is closely connected to the health of the region as a whole.

As part of SEEHN’s continued strategic dialogue with the Republic of Moldova and its health authorities, Dr Tatiana Păduraru, Head of the Secretariat of the South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN), met with Dr Nicolae Jelamschi, Director of the National Agency for Public Health (ANSP).

The meeting builds on SEEHN’s ongoing high-level engagement with the Republic of Moldova and the excellent discussions with the Minister of Health, Dr. Alexandru Gasnaș, reflecting a shared commitment to translating strategic priorities into stronger institutional and technical cooperation.

Discussions focused on further strengthening regional cooperation in Human Resources for Health (HRH) and enhancing the role of the SEEHN Regional Health Development Centre on Human Resources for Health, hosted by ANSP.

Particular attention was given to strengthening the Centre as a regional platform for expertise, policy dialogue, capacity building and the exchange of good practices, as well as to increasing the contribution of experts from the Republic of Moldova to SEEHN’s technical activities and regional initiatives.

Dr Păduraru and Dr Jelamschi welcomed the longstanding cooperation between SEEHN and ANSP and reaffirmed their commitment to better connecting national expertise with the Network’s regional priorities.

The discussions also addressed the SEEHN agenda for the coming period, including opportunities for the Regional Health Development Centers to contribute to the Network’s evolving strategic framework and to activities under the Romanian Presidency of SEEHN, which began on 1 July 2026.

Through its continued dialogue with national authorities, institutions and Regional Health Development Centers, SEEHN aims to strengthen the link between political commitment, technical expertise and regional action, supporting more resilient health systems and a stronger health workforce across South-Eastern Europe.

#SEEHN #Moldova #RegionalCooperation #HealthWorkforce #HumanResourcesForHealth #PublicHealth #HealthSystems

Chișinău, Republic of Moldova – 13 August 2026

The Director of the South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) Secretariat, Dr Tatiana Păduraru, held a meeting on 13 August 2026 with Dr Alexandru Gasnaș, Minister of Health of the Republic of Moldova, to discuss Moldova’s continued engagement in SEEHN and opportunities to further strengthen regional cooperation in health.

The meeting was also attended by Dr Svetlana Nicolaescu, Deputy State Secretary General of the Ministry of Health and SEEHN National Health Coordinator (NHC), as well as a co-opted member of the SEEHN Executive Committee. Her involvement is crucial to ensure the institutional bridge between the Ministry and SEEHN, and institutional memory and expertise while she has already served as Moldova’s SEEHN NHC and as Chair of the SEEHN Executive Committee.

The discussions focused on the strategic role of SEEHN as a platform for intergovernmental cooperation, policy dialogue and exchange of experience among the countries of South-Eastern Europe. Particular attention was given to ensuring the continued active engagement of the Republic of Moldova in the Network and to further strengthening the link between SEEHN’s regional agenda and national health priorities.

Dr Păduraru presented the current priorities and ongoing work of the SEEHN Secretariat, including the development of the Network’s next strategic framework- the Bucharest Pledge and the Action Plan, strengthening the role and visibility of the Regional Health Development Centres (RHDCs), health workforce development, digital health, emergency preparedness, noncommunicable diseases, mental health, healthy ageing and other areas of shared regional importance.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss the role of SEEHN in facilitating peer learning and policy exchange between Member States, including through technical initiatives, regional projects, high-level policy dialogue and the annual SEEHN Plenary Meeting, which brings together political and technical representatives of the Network’s Member States.

Dr Păduraru highlighted the importance of Moldova’s active contribution to SEEHN’s work and welcomed the opportunity to further engage the Ministry of Health in shaping the Network’s future priorities.

Minister Gasnaș reaffirmed the importance of regional cooperation and the value of SEEHN as a platform for sharing experience, strengthening institutional capacities and promoting coordinated approaches to common health challenges.

As SEEHN enters a new phase with the start of the Romanian Presidency on 1 July 2026, the meeting also provided an opportunity to look ahead to the Network’s priorities and activities for the coming period.

The SEEHN Secretariat looks forward to continuing its close cooperation with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Moldova and to supporting Moldova’s active participation in the Network’s governance, technical initiatives and regional policy dialogue.

Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia, 18 June 2026

Representatives of the Member States of the South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) concluded today in Skopje the First Regional Consultation Workshop on developing the Bucharest Pledge and the SEEHN Strategic Action Plan 2027–2032.

Convened after the 49th SEEHN Plenary Meeting, the workshop was part of the Network’s strategic consultation process to define priorities and directions for regional health cooperation for 2027–2032.

Participants engaged in a strategic dialogue to refine the proposed pillars of the Bucharest Pledge, identify priority areas for joint action, and discuss practical mechanisms to strengthen cooperation among Member States.

The consultations highlighted a strong consensus that the future SEEHN agenda must continue to address both longstanding and emerging health challenges and position health as a strategic investment in societal resilience, economic development, and regional stability.

The workshop also explored how SEEHN can further strengthen its role as a platform for knowledge exchange, policy dialogue, and joint action, building on twenty-five years of regional partnership and trust.

The recommendations from the consultation process will directly inform the drafting of the SEEHN Bucharest Pledge and the Strategic Action Plan 2027–2032, which are expected to guide regional cooperation during the next programming cycle.

The consultation process will continue over the coming months through additional technical work and stakeholder engagement, with the aim of presenting the final draft documents for consideration and endorsement by SEEHN Member States.

As SEEHN marks its twenty-fifth anniversary, the consultation process reflects the continued commitment of Member States to strengthening regional cooperation, promoting shared priorities and advancing collective action in support of health and well-being across South-Eastern Europe.

Speaking at the conclusion of the workshop, participants reaffirmed their commitment to a shared vision of stronger, more resilient, and people-centered health systems across South-Eastern Europe, underscoring that regional solidarity remains one of the most effective tools for addressing common challenges and advancing better health outcomes for all citizens.

Skopje/Bucharest, 14 June 2026

On World Blood Donor Day 2026, the South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) joins the World Health Organization, national health authorities, and international partners in recognizing the invaluable contributions of voluntary blood donors to public health, patient safety, and health system resilience.

Blood and blood products remain indispensable for treating a wide range of medical conditions and emergencies, including trauma care, major surgeries, cancer treatment, maternal and neonatal care, and chronic disease management. Ensuring a safe, sufficient, and sustainable blood supply is therefore a strategic priority for all health systems and an essential component of universal access to quality healthcare.

This year’s World Blood Donor Day theme, “One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives,” underscores the core values that underpin voluntary blood donation. SEEHN acknowledges the commitment and generosity of blood donors across South-Eastern Europe, whose contributions save lives every day and strengthen health systems’ capacity to respond effectively to routine and emergency healthcare needs. Their solidarity reflects the values of social responsibility, community engagement, and a shared commitment to the health and well-being of all citizens.

The Network also recognizes the dedication of healthcare professionals, transfusion medicine services, public health institutions, civil society organizations, and volunteers whose efforts ensure the safety, quality, and availability of blood and blood products across the region.

In a context marked by evolving demographic, epidemiological, and emergency preparedness challenges, sustained investment in blood donation systems, donor recruitment and retention, public awareness, and regional cooperation remains critical. Strengthening national capacities in these areas directly contributes to health security, emergency preparedness, and the overall resilience of health systems.

SEEHN remains committed to supporting cooperation among its Member States through the exchange of knowledge, experience, and best practices to enhance health system performance and advance public health priorities. Promoting voluntary blood donation and ensuring equitable access to safe blood products are integral components of these efforts.

Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia | 22 May 2026

During the 2nd Public Health Conference and the 2nd HSG Europe Preconference, co-organized by the South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN), Dr. Tatiana Păduraru, Head of the SEEHN Secretariat, delivered a presentation on the critical role of nursing and midwifery leadership as a strategic pillar of health system resilience.

Presented at the thematic session “Politics and Polycrisis: Governance, Financing and Diplomacy in the Face of a Shifting Global Order,” the intervention — “Bridging Policy and Practice: Embedding Nursing and Midwifery Leadership in Health System Resilience — Lessons from Romania” — explored how leadership development can move beyond individual training toward systemic transformation.

The presentation emphasized the central role of nurses and midwives in health systems, noting that they constitute the largest component of the global health workforce while facing mounting pressures from workforce shortages, migration, demographic change, burnout, and rising system demands. Shared regional challenges across South-Eastern Europe further underscore the need to strengthen workforce participation in governance and decision-making processes.

Drawing on findings from Romania’s first national nursing leadership program, implemented in 2022, the presentation examined barriers, enablers, and institutional conditions that shape leadership implementation and sustainability. Using a mixed-methods research approach with nurse leaders, the analysis explored organizational culture, governance readiness, professional development needs, and mechanisms that support change.

The presentation highlighted the importance of translating evidence into policy and practice by strengthening leadership integration across education, governance and health workforce policies. Particular emphasis was placed on the need to support advanced nursing roles, strengthen participatory governance mechanisms and better align competencies, financing and institutional recognition.

Addressing the broader regional dimension, SEEHN emphasized that nursing and midwifery leadership should not be viewed solely as a professional agenda but as a health system resilience strategy with direct relevance to South-Eastern Europe and Europe more broadly.

The intervention reaffirmed SEEHN’s ongoing commitment to supporting evidence-informed governance, health workforce strengthening, leadership development, and regional cooperation as essential components of resilient, equitable, and sustainable health systems.

Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia | 21–22 May 2026

The South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) co-organized the 2nd Public Health Conference and the 2nd HSG Europe Preconference, held in Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia, bringing together approximately 100 participants, including academics, researchers, policymakers, public health professionals, students, and health systems experts from the region and beyond, who participated both in person and online.

Organized by the Center–School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of North Macedonia, together with institutional partners including SEEHN, the Conference served as a regional platform to advance dialogue on the future of public health and health systems research in a rapidly evolving global environment.

Held under the overarching theme “Building Evidence-Based Resilient Health Systems in a Changing Europe,” the Conference contributed to ongoing reflections ahead of the 9th Global Symposium on Health Systems Research (HSR2026) and marked the School of Public Health’s forthcoming 25th anniversary.

The two-day program explored critical policy and systems dimensions, including governance, financing, diplomacy, partnerships, digital transformation, participation, human capital, and health workforce resilience, reaffirming the importance of integrated and collaborative approaches to strengthening health systems.

In her opening remarks, Dr. Tatiana Păduraru, Head of SEEHN, underscored the value of regional cooperation, multi-stakeholder dialogue, and stronger linkages among policy, practice, and health workforce development to build resilient and sustainable health systems.

SEEHN contributions throughout the Conference highlighted the growing importance of reinforcing the interface between research, academia and policymaking, emphasizing the role of evidence-informed and science-based decision making in responding to increasingly complex public health challenges.

In this context, reference was made to the spirit of this year’s World Health Day, which reiterated the importance of science, knowledge generation, and academic engagement as essential foundations for effective health governance and resilient health systems.

As part of its continued commitment to regional cooperation, knowledge exchange and capacity strengthening, SEEHN supported participation through a dedicated scholarship mechanism for Member States representatives, enabling contributions SEEHN from Albania, Bulgaria, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia, reinforcing regional collaboration and knowledge exchange. SEEHN-supported participants contributed to thematic discussions on regional governance, health systems resilience, digital health, workforce development, public health education, and policy integration.

The Conference reaffirmed that strengthening the translation of research into policy and practice, fostering regional partnerships, and investing in human capital are key enablers of resilient, equitable, and future-oriented health systems.

SEEHN remains committed to supporting regional dialogue, collaborative action, and evidence-based approaches that strengthen health systems and improve health outcomes across South-Eastern Europe.

Skopje / Regional – 12 May 2026

On the occasion of International Nurses Day, annually observed on 12 May, the South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) joins the global community in recognizing the invaluable contributions of nurses and midwives to health systems and societies.

This year’s theme, launched by the International Council of Nurses — “Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives” — underscores the urgent need to move beyond recognition toward meaningful investment and structural support for the nursing workforce.

SEEHN strongly echoes this call, reaffirming its sustained commitment to supporting the development of a well-prepared, resilient, and empowered health workforce across South-Eastern Europe.

In April 2026, SEEHN, in cooperation with RHDC on Nursing and Midwifery and the Romanian Order of Nurses and Midwives, convened a regional seminar in Bucharest titled “Strengthening Health Workforce Capacity through Trauma-Informed Care as a System Competency.” The event brought together representatives from across the region to explore how trauma-informed approaches can be embedded at system level, supporting both patient care and workforce wellbeing.

The discussions highlighted the importance of leadership, safe working environments, and continuous professional development as key pillars for strengthening health systems. In this context, SEEHN has also initiated discussions on future collaboration with the WHO Collaborating Centre for Leadership and Governance in Nursing, exploring concrete pathways to further support leadership development and workforce capacity in the region.

SEEHN remains committed to advancing regional cooperation and facilitating knowledge exchange among its Member States, with a continued focus on:

• Investing in education and training systems for nurses and midwives;
• Promoting leadership and professional empowerment;
• Supporting safe and enabling working environments;
• Strengthening the voice of nurses in health policy and decision-making processes.

As SEEHN approaches its 25th anniversary, the Network reiterates that investing in nurses is not only a health priority, but a strategic imperative for resilient, equitable, and sustainable health systems

Bucharest, Romania | 21–22 April 2026

The South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) successfully held the regional workshop “Strengthening Health Workforce Capacity through Trauma-Informed Care as a System Competency” in Bucharest on 21–22 April 2026.

The event was organized by the SEEHN Secretariat, in collaboration with the SEEHN Regional Health Development Centre on Nursing and Midwifery, and hosted by the Romanian Order of Nurses, Midwives and Medical Assistants, in partnership with UK Diaspora for Health.

The workshop brought together representatives from SEEHN Member States, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Moldova, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia, as well as representatives of the SEEHN Secretariat .

In addition, the event benefited from the participation of nurses from Romania, representing healthcare facilities under both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Members of the Board of the Romanian Order of Nurses, Midwives and Medical Assistants, as well as representatives of the Centre for Psychosociology of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, were also in attendance .

Opening Session

The event was opened by Mircea Timofte, President of the Romanian Order of Nurses, Midwives and Medical Assistants. High-level representatives also delivered keynote remarks, including:

• Claudiu Damian, State Secretary, Ministry of Health of Romania
• Tatiana Paduraru, Head of SEEHN Secretariat
• Florentina Furtunescu, Member of the SEEHN Executive Committee
• Silvia Gatscher, WHO Country Office

The session highlighted the importance of regional cooperation and the growing role of trauma-informed approaches in strengthening health workforce resilience. The session was moderated by Roxana Hainagiu, representative of the SEEHN RHDC on Nursing and Midwifery.

Discussions focused on positioning trauma-informed care as a system-level competency, with key areas including:

• Leadership and governance: integrating trauma-informed principles into decision-making, management, and institutional processes
• System impact: identifying how organizational practices can either support or negatively affect healthcare professionals and patients
• Practical implementation: case-based learning from the United Kingdom, focusing on staff wellbeing, patient safety, and system response under pressure
• Regional applicability: identifying common needs across SEEHN countries, barriers to implementation, and opportunities for joint initiatives

The sessions were led by Dr Nistor Becia, MBE, with contributions from Daniela Nedelcu, in an interactive and practice-oriented format.

Participants emphasized the need to move from concept to implementation, identifying follow-up actions such as the development of advanced training modules, the exchange of best practices, and the creation of regional case studies.

The workshop reaffirmed SEEHN’s role as a platform for regional cooperation and knowledge exchange, supporting Member States in strengthening health systems and health workforce capacity.