WONCA Europe statements at WHO Regional Committee

Dr Anna Stavdal, WONCA Europe president reports:

The 67th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe was held in Budapest from 10th - 14th September 2017. Health ministers and high-level representatives of the 53 member states of the WHO European Region, as well as partner organisations and civil society met and debated key health challenges and action plans.

The framework for action towards a sustainable health workforce in the WHO European Region was presented and debated. The framework adapts the Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030 in the European context, and has four strategic objectives: a) transform education and performance; b) align planning and investment; c) build capacity, and; d) improve analysis and monitoring.

Introducing the framework and draft resolution, the Director of the Division of Health Systems and Public Health, Dr Hans Kluge, noted that the health workforce was the beating heart of any health system, and the cornerstone of universal health coverage. The Director-General of WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, argued that the health personnel are a pillar for achieving universal health coverage, and specifically highlighted the importance of the primary care workforce.

The urgent case of family medicine

On the occasion of the discussion of the framework, WONCA Europe has released a statement on Family Medicine, focusing on educational needs (both undergraduate and postgraduate) and the policies for retaining and, when necessary, supporting the migration and emigration of family doctors. The statement was delivered by Dr Anna Stavdal, President of WONCA Europe and is called "The urgent case of family medicine”. The full text is available here.

Statement on Refugee Health

At the same WHO Regional Committee for Europe, WONCA Europe also released a joint statement on Refugee Health on the “Roadmap to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, building on the Health 2020 policy framework”. The statement was prepared in cooperation with the Council of Occupational Therapists for the European Countries, the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care, the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, and the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance. The full text is available here.

Planetary Health and Primary Care

Finally, WONCA Europe released a joint statement on Planetary Health & Primary Care relating to the agenda item “Improving environment and health in the context of Health 2020 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. The statement was prepared in cooperation with the Council of Occupational Therapists for the European Countries, the Health Care Without Harm Europe, Medicus Mundi International, and the World Federation of Occupational Therapists. We would also like to acknowledge Dr Enrique Barros and Dr Ralph Guggenheim from the WONCA Working Party on the Environment for their guidance and support in preparing the statement. The full text is available here.

WONCA Europe The urgent case of family medicine statement 2017WONCA Europe joint statement on Refugee Health 2017WONCA Europe joint statement on Planetary Health & Primary Health Care 2017