Advancing Health Equity in South Eastern Europe: Regional Achievements and Challenges

1. Regional Cooperation in SEE SEE Health Network SEECP Health Ministerial Meeting “Achievements and challenges of strengthening health system performance through addressing inequalities in health services in South Eastern Europe” Chisinau, 7 November, 2008 Snežana Čičevalieva Head of the Executive Committee of the SEE HN

2. Overview/Report • Review of the history of regional cooperation • Recent developments in the regional cooperation in public health in SEE • The vision for the future

3. Stability Pact for SEE Established in 2001 to promote peace and stability in the region; later to assist SEE countries to EU integration and accession • Working Table I – Democracy • Working Table III – Security and Defense • Working Table II – Economy • Initiative for Social Cohesion • Employment • Housing • Health • Social Protection • Social Dialogue

4. Regional Cooperation Council • Stability Pact (SP) handed over to Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) – 28 Feb 2008 • From a conflict prevention and confidence building initiative in South Eastern Europeto a regionally-owned Regional Co-operation Council • RCC structure: • Secretary General from the region • Secretariat in Sarajevo, BIH • Co-financing of the future regional set-up

5. Stability Pact beyond 2007SEE Cooperation Process • Economic and Social Development • Infrastructure • Justice and Home Affairs • Security co-operation • Building Human Capital • Parliamentary Co-operation (overarching theme) Cross-cutting issues: Gender mainstreaming; social cohesion and involvement of civil society

6. SEE Health Network Milestones • Dubrovnik Pledge, 2001 Regional Collaboration; agreed on seven Public Health priority areas (regional projects) of common concern • Skopje Pledge, 2005 Reinforcing the regional collaboration on Public Health priority areas Stressing the importance of investing in health Achieving and sustaining Regional Ownership

7. South-eastern Europe Health Network: Main features today • Public health as a bridge to peace, reconciliation, stability and economic development • Ownership and leadership of the SEE countries • Strong partnership between - 9 SEE countries (ALB, BIH, BUL, CRO, MDA, MNE, ROM, SER, MKD) - 9 donors/partners (BEL, GRE, ITA, FRA, HUN, NOR, SVN, SWE, SWI) - 4 international organizations (coE, CEB, WHO/EURO and SP-SCI) • Regional cooperation in 9 priority public health areas • Over 8 million Euros raised and in implementation • Health system approach applied -

8. Albania Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases France, Greece, WHO Bosnia and Herzegovinia Enhancing Social Cohesion by Strengthening Community Mental Health Services Belgium, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Slovenia, WHO Bulgaria Information for Community Mental Health Services Greece, OSI, GI, WHO Croatia Institutional Capacities of Public Health systems for Strengthened Tobacco Control Norway, WHO Romania Blood and Blood products Switzerland, Slovenia, CoE, WHO Improving Maternal and Neonatal Health in SEE Institutional Capacity and Intersectorial Collaboration for Access to Safe Food Products Belgium,Greece, Italy, Switzerland, WHO Norway, WHO Moldova Serbia WHO Macedonia Strengthening Public Health Services in SEE THE ONGOING PROJECTS Health Policy and Technical Advice WHO – COE Leading Country Partners/Donors

9. Political MoH Fora (once in 4-5 years) Presidency Executive Committee Secretariat Regional Meetings (twice yearly) National Political Coordinators Technical projects Project Steering Committees Regional Project Managers & Offices Country Project Managers & Offices SEE Health NetworkStructure

10. SEE Health Network agenda 2008-the way we work • 18th Regular Meeting of SEEHN in Chisinau Moldova (May 30 – June 1,) • Joint Statements through SEEHN Presidency of Moldova during the Health Systems Performance - Ministerial Conference in Tallin, Estonia, June. • Joint meeting with European Commission TAIEX on manpower mobility in Health, June 30-July 1,. • AMEE Conference on Health Workforce, Prague, Sept. • European Health Forum-Gastein, October, 2008 • Ministerial Meeting, Moldova, Octomber • Signing the MoU/Ministerial declarations • ‘Call for Proposals’ for the location of the seat of SEEHN Secretariat • 19th Meeting , Montenegro, November • Inauguration of the SEE HN Secretariat • Global Fund and ECDC joining the partnership

11. VISIONfor the future of SEEHNand the regional cooperation in public healthto further strengthenhealth system reformsto widen the pool of experts and promote themto contribute to theeconomic developmentof the regionenhanced forms of cooperationDeveloped structural, organizational and administrative capacities increased SEE financial contributionsfurther networking with the networks (NDC), EC and other organisations and structures for REGIONAL EUROPEAN ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH IN SEE Road Map Beyond 2008

12. Regional Cooperation – HealthSEE Health Network (2008 and beyond) • Memorandum of Understandingon the future of regional cooperation • Process of transforming of Projects into long term programs started (Regional Development Canters) Promotion of the SEEHN policies and prioritiesInformation sharingNetworkingInnovationResearchFundraisingProjects implementation functions

13. Summary • The Stability Pact for SEE is transformed into Regional Co-operation Council based in region. • Regional ownership and contribution will increase considerably after 2008 • Continued Partners support essential even after 2008 • In the health area a similar approach is followed • Future activities: MoU and Secretariat essential

14. Thank you.