Third SEE Ministers of Health Forum

The 3rd SEE Ministers of Health Forum "Health in All Policies in the SEE: A Shared Goal and Responsibility" took place in Banja Luka, BiH, on 13-14 October 2011. The Forum brought together higest representatives of the SEE Health Network Member and Partner Countries and Organizations of the European region.

Family photo of Forum participants

The Forum reviewed the performance of the SEEHN in the last decade, and approved the Banja Luka Pledge that outlines the future cooperation of the SEE countries and partners on Health in All Policies.

You can read or download the text of the Banja Luka (2011) Pledge here.

SEEHN Member Countries representatives sign the Banja Luka Pledge

SEEHN Partner Countries and Organzations representatives sign the Banja Luka Pledge

Banja Luka Pledge Signed

Banja Luka Pledge Signatures

The representatives of the SEEHN member countries also signed amendments to the MoU on the future of the SEEHN and the regional cooperation in public health, originally signed by the SEE Ministers of Health in 2008. These amendments regulate the procedures for new potential members to apply and join the SEEHN. At the same time the SEEHN member countries representatives approved the application of the State of Israel to become the 10th member of the SEEHN.

You can read or download the amendments to the MoU by clicking here.

SEEHN member country representatives after signing the MoU amendments


The program of the 3rd SEE Ministers of Health Forum can be read or downloaded here.


The complete list of presentations held during the 3rd Forum is listed below by sessions:


Session 1:

Welcome address
Dr Piotr Mierzewski, Council of Europe

The European Health Policy “Health 2020”: Setting up the Vision
Zsuzsanna Jakab, Regional Director, WHO/Europe


Session 2:

A decade of Alliance for Public Health in SEE
For the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Professor Ranko Skrbic


Session 3:

HiAP and Social Determinants for Health and Inequalities
Dr Erio Ziglio, WHO Regional Office for Euro

HiAP in SEE: current status, challenges and opportunities
Ms Desislava Dimitrova, Deputy Minister of Health, Bulgaria

Good practices in HiAP: the case of Finland
Ms Taru Koivisto, Director, Department for Promotion of Welfare and Health, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland


Session 4:

Mobilizing sectors and communities for Public Health: the case of Slovenia
Dr Vesna-Kerstin Petric, Head of the Health Promotion and Healthy Lifestyle Division, Ministry of Health, Slovenia

Contribution to the the environment and health process across Europe
Ms Marta Szigeti Bonifert, Regional Environmental Center


Session 5:

Global and European policies and actions
Dr Gauden Galea, Director, Division of Noncommunicable Diseases and Health Promotion, WHO Regional Office for Europe


SEE response: NCD and PHS capacities, challenges, policies and actions
Dr Andrej Usatii, Minister of Health, Republic of Moldova


Session 6:

Presentation of the Banja Luka Pledge
For Presidency of the SEEHN: Professor Ranko Skrbic, Minister of Health and Social Welfare of the Republika Srpska


You can read or download the text of Banja Luka (2011) Pledge by clicking here.





Background Information on the Forum

“Third Health Ministers Forum: Health in All Policies in South-eastern Europe: A Shared Goal and Responsibility”, Banja Luka, BiH, 13 - 14 October 2011.

Co-organized by the South-eastern Europe Health Network, the Council of Europe, the Council of Europe Development Bank, the European Commission and WHO Regional Office for Europe, and hosted by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and Ministries of Health of Bosnia and Herzegovina under the auspices of the Regional Cooperation Council. The purpose of the event is to agree on:
  1. Evaluation of the SEE political process of cooperation in health since Skopje 2005 (Evaluation report);
  2. The values, priority areas and actions for the future development and implementation of HiAP within the sub-regional context (Political Declaration);
  3. An extended collaboration for public health reform in the region (Report of a study on evaluation of the Public Health Services in SEE and their performance indicators)

3rd SEE Health Ministers Forum Proposal
The proposal for the organization of the 3rd Forum was discussed by the SEE Health Network during its 24th meeting, held in Tirana on 10-12 November 2010. 
The latest draft of this document can be read or downloaded here.

Organizational Committee Terms of Reference
The Terms of Reference for the Organizational Committee were discussed and approved by the SEEHN Executive Committee and distributed to all NHCs on 17 December 2010. The most recent entries to the OC include the International Organization for Migration, and the European Commission.
You can read or download the letter of Ms Cicevalieva addressed to the NHCs here.
You can read or download the Terms of Reference of the Organizational Committee for the 3rd Ministers of Health Forum here.

Forum Preparatory Process - 1st teleconference
The SEE Health Network Executive Committee and Secretariat held a teleconference on 13 January 2011 to discuss the preparations for the Third SEE Ministers of Health Forum.
The meeting considered in depth the main topic of the Forum, as well as a number of technical and organizational details. It was recalled that the Forum will consist of the following three parts:
  • Evaluation of the regional cooperation in the framework of the SEEHN since the 2nd Ministerial Forum in Skopje;
  • Health in all policies (main topic);
  • Commitment and future action of the SEEHN
It was agreed that the first meeting of the Organizational Committee for the 3rd Ministers of Health Forum will be held in Banja Luka (date to be confirmed) with the participation of all the members of the network as well as partners and the forum co-organizers.
You can read or download the notes from the teleconference here.

Forum Preparatory Process - 1st Meeting - Banja Luka
The SEE Health Network Presidency, held by Bulgaria during January-June 2011, and the Minister of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Minister of Health of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Minister of Health and Social Welfare of Republic of Srpska, and, the SEE Health Network Executive Committee are calling the first preparatory meeting for the 3rd Health Ministers Forum. The meeting is scheduled to take place in Banja Luka during 17-19 February 2011.

The SEE Ministers of Health will receive shortly the official invitation and agenda for this meeting, with the request to nominate a participant from each of the SEE countries.
You can read or download the text of the invitation for the meeting here.
You can read or download the text of the agenda for the meeting here.
 


Forum Preparatory Process - 2nd Meeting - Ljubjana
With an official letter, Minister of Health of Slovenia, Mr Marusic, expressed the willingness of Slovenia to host the second preparatory meeting for the Forum. This preparatory meeting will take place during 14-15 April 2011 (venue to be confirmed). The representative of Slovenia at the Forum Organizational Committee was appointed Ms Dunja Gruntar Golanda.

Ms Snezana Cicevalieva, Chair of the SEEHN Executive Committee, thanked Minister Marusic for the long term support and cooperation that the Ministry of Health of Slovenia has extended to the SEEHN for the regional cooperation in public health in the SEE.

You can read or download the letter of Minister Marusic by clicking here.



Forum Preparatory Process -Draft Budget
The SEEHN Secretariat has prepared a draft budget for the upcoming 3rd SEE Minister of Health Forum.

You can read or download the draft budget by clicking here.



Forum Preparatory Process - 3rd Meeting - Sofia
The SEE Health Network Presidency, Executive Committee and Secretariat and all member and partner countries held the 3rd Preparatory Meetings (during the 25th regular SEEHN meeting) in Sofia under the Presidency of the Bulgarian Minister of Health Dr. St. Konstantinov.

You can find attached:

1.
Draft report of the meeting:
2. Signed
Decision on the establishment of 8 RHDCs;


Forum Preparatory Process - 4th Meeting - Copenhagen
The 4th preparatory meeting was held in Copenhagen kindly hosted by the WHO Regional Office for Europe on 30 September 2011. The meeting discussed organizational and technical aspects leading up to the 3rd Ministerial Forum.

You can download or read by clicking below the documents discussed:
1. Amendments to the MoU on the future of the SEEHN
2. Draft Banja Luka Pledge
3. List of Working Documents for the 3rd Forum