Gundo Weiler

I invite leading experts from across disciplines to apply to join WHO/Europe’s new Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). This new Board will help strengthen the scientific foundations of our work – from identifying knowledge gaps to turning evidence into clear, practical policy advice for our 53 Member States. The SAB will be an important step in delivering the Second European Programme of Work (EPW2), our health compass for the next 5+ years, with its strong emphasis on scientific governance, innovation and impact. Deadline for applications: 15 April To learn more about the advisory board & apply: bit.ly/4cSRqPR

sign up here: bit.ly/40wURnV

Please join us on 29 and 30 April!

To keep migrant health high on the agenda amid declining funding, we at WHO/Europe are strengthening partnerships across our network, including with WHO collaborating centres. With that in mind, I met with Soorej Jose Puthoopparambil, Head of the WHO Collaborating Centre at Uppsala University. We explored how collaborating centres can play a more prominent role in supporting our work on migrant health - a priority area in the new European Programme of Work (#EPW2). Looking ahead, we aim to strengthen interregional collaboration across WHO regions - migration movements span regions, and our response to migrant health must do the same.

In Athens, 🇬🇷 Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis and I signed 2 collaboration agreements to advance quality of care and mental health services for children & adolescents across the WHO European Region. Ευχαριστώ, Ελλάδα! We agreed to scale up Health-IQ - Greece’s WHO-supported programme to improve quality of care - by launching the Quality-for-All platform today. Building on progress already made in measuring, monitoring and reporting quality, the platform will expand impact across hospitals and other health services. I thanked Minister Georgiadis for his strong support of @WHO's work in #Greece and his long-standing commitment to quality of care, patient safety, and health system reform.

Childhood cancer survival can reach 91% in some parts of the European Region, while in others it can be as low as 43%. This is not the future we want for our children. We can change it, and this is where partnership matters. I was inspired by my meeting with Dr Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo, Executive Vice President of @StJude, and the leadership of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where we reaffirmed our collaboration to close this gap by helping countries to: ▶️ include childhood cancer into national cancer plans ▶️ train health teams & update treatment protocols ▶️ strengthen services like palliative care, lab diagnostics & nursing. Our joint work now supports 7 countries through the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer and 2 countries through the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines. Even in challenging times for global health, @WHO will continue its efforts in this area - because every child deserves the same chance to live. Grateful to St Jude for steadfast support.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the world’s leading killers and a major drain on public health spending. To support health facilities treating people with diseases like cancer and heart diseases, @WHO has released its NCDs Digital Solutions for Facility-Based Monitoring toolkit. This new package of advice will improve the speed at which individuals will receive care, facilitate follow-up, and enhance the quality of services. To #BeatNCDs, continued and innovative action is needed. I encourage countries and partners to adopt, adapt and scale up use of WHO’s digital solutions for NCDs and achieve measurable impact at national scale. who.int/teams/noncommu…

We stand at a crucial moment for global health: the architecture that delivered extraordinary gains over the last 30 years is no longer equipped for the challenges ahead. This urgency shaped our high-level discussion in Berlin, hosted by @WorldHealthSmt & @KASonline, where we examined the European Region’s role in reshaping the global health system. I am grateful to Germany 🇩🇪 for its leadership in convening this event at such a pivotal moment in world history - a time when multilateralism is fragmented and development assistance for #health has fallen by around 40%. 1/4

In my meeting with 🇩🇪 Health Minister Nina Warken in Berlin, I thanked Germany for its longstanding support for global health and multilateralism — standing by @WHO in difficult moments and setting an important example. We also discussed the need to better explain to people how multilateral cooperation directly benefits their lives. We agreed to work closer together on hospital reforms, the safe use of AI to strengthen primary health care, regional health security, and efforts to ensure people have trusted information to make the best decisions about their health. I also briefed the Minister on my Special Initiative to strengthen the health-sector response to violence against women & girls and welcomed #Germany’s commitment in this area – at a time when rates remain high and #health services are often the weakest link. #HealthForAll

Pleased to meet today with Ms Anke Meyer, Germany’s new Ambassador to Denmark, at @UNCityCPH. I thanked 🇩🇪 Germany for standing with us, as we reimagine the WHO/Europe of the Future - making it stronger, more agile, politically neutral & indispensable partner for all Member States. We explored how we can work together on shared priorities - from tackling violence against women & girls, to supporting healthy ageing, addressing the health impacts of climate change, and driving innovation in health care, including the smart use of AI. We also discussed our shared approach to health diplomacy in times of crisis and conflict, and I appreciated #Germany’s continued support to #Ukraine. #HealthForAll

In the age of crises, climate change, demographic shifts, and instability, Europe cannot afford to let #innovation stay in the lab! WHO/Europe’s new approach—co-design, connect, catalyze—aims to reduce these barriers for better health. bit.ly/4oydTnC #EPW2 #RC75

Adopted! With the approval of Member States, the second European Programme of Work - #EPW2 – is now official. Developed through a year-long process of co-creation with countries and partners, EPW2 is both a vision and a roadmap - designed to keep @WHO_Europe focused, accountable, and ready for the future. It sets out 5️⃣ priorities: 🔹strengthening health security 🔹preventing and controlling noncommunicable diseases 🔹supporting healthy ageing 🔹tackling the climate–health crisis 🔹shaping the health systems of the future And 2️⃣ special initiatives that cut across all priorities: 🔹primary health care, and 🔹response to violence against women and girls My deepest thanks to our 53 Member States, focal points, and partners for shaping and adopting this historic framework. With the renewed mandate, we will ensure that WHO/Europe remains your partner of choice — trusted, focused, responsive, and results-driven. To read more about #EPW2: bit.ly/3CYBM5F #HealthForAll #UnitedActionForBetterHealth

It's official! WHO member states unanimously adopted the Second European Programme of Work. Priorities include: 🛡️ Maximizing health security ❤️ Tackling NCDs 🏃 Living and ageing in good health 🌍 Climate-health action 🏥 Health systems of the future bit.ly/3CYBM5F

DG SANTE at the @WHO_Europe #RC75CPH: The fight against non-communicable diseases continues: with the upcoming ambitious European Cardiovascular Plan. It will provide impetus to WHO seminal NCD efforts in its Second Program of Work and its new Child & Adolescent Health Strategy.

Pleased to welcome our non-State actor (NSA) partners to the 2nd annual engagement event ahead of #RC75CPH. Our partnership with NSAs is vital to advancing health in the European Region. They help turn our policies and recommendations into tangible results, connect institutions with people’s lived realities, and bring expertise and innovation. A clear illustration of this was NSAs’ contribution to developing the new European Programme of Work (#EPW2). Over the past year, we have also launched and begun implementing our NSA Engagement Plan, providing a strong framework for collaboration. Today’s meeting focused on our “Ageing is Living” initiative - a priority area in #EPW2. Our vision is to build health systems and societies where ageing is seen as a privilege, not as a burden. With the insight and unique contribution of our NSA partners and friends, we will shape a strategy that is practical and grounded in reality. For more information 👉 bit.ly/3WXwwFK #UnitedActionForBetterHealth #HealthForAll

Noncommunicable diseases (#NCDs) cause 1.8M avoidable deaths yearly. The 🆕WHO/Europe report shows it’s not inevitable—bold action can change the trend! It’s time for countries to reduce risks, improve care and use data to save lives: bit.ly/4kW5SYp

Strong prevention of noncommunicable diseases (#NCDs) is smart economics and data-driven political decisions. 🆕WHO/Europe report urges smart, fast action with “quick buys” that deliver results. bit.ly/4kW5SYp

⬇️The last of 5 public WHO hearings on the future of health in Europe. A staggering 5,571 experts signed up, & thanks to our AI tool more than 90% felt they could share their ideas - giving us an unprecedented basis for EPW2! 🙏🙏🙏all participants for your time and commitment!

Health inequities are stark and accumulate over the course of life – we need to focus our interventions on those less well-off in society to ensure healthier ageing for all says Peter Kelly of @NHSNEY

Dr Mollenkopf @AGE_PlatformEU outlines the many ways that older people contribute actively to society, and calls for shared action to address ageism, discrimination and systemic barriers to services and technologies. #EPW2