Last week our attention was on the 74th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe (RC74). Health ministers and high-level delegates from the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region, as well as representatives of partner organizations including the NDPHS Secretariat, and regional non-State actors, met in Copenhagen.

We are delighted that the Member States nominated Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge to the office of WHO Regional Director for Europe for a second 5-year term, which will begin in February 2025 after his formal election. We congratulate Dr. Kluge and look forward to continuing our strong collaboration with him in his next term.

Public health priorities for the coming half-decade will focus on critical areas including national health security, mental health, the climate crisis, and gender-based violence. In alignment with the WHO priorities, Dr Ülla-Karin Nurm, the director of the NDPHS Secretariat, highlighted our Partnership’s strengths and regional role in confronting these concerns.

Member States also discussed how to work with WHO/Europe and within their own countries to tackle 4 pressing issues:

• adopting a framework for resilient and sustainable health systems in Europe 2025-2030;
• strengthening health emergency preparedness, response, and resilience;
• enhancing Emergency Medical Teams;
• developing a strategy for harnessing health innovations and emerging technologies in the Region.

The NDPHS extends its heartfelt thanks to WHO colleagues for their outstanding collaboration over the years and looks forward to achieving even greater success together in the future.

Access documents and recordings from the event here.

Cover photo: Dr Hans Kluge has been nominated for a second term to the post of Regional Director for Europe. In this public session, Dr Kluge addresses the Committee with a brief statement and receives congratulations. ©WHO / Andreas Beck

Gallery: ©WHO / Andreas Beck