Event highlights
Executive Training Course on Global Health Diplomacy in Times of Emergencies and Strengthening Preparedness
Held in memory of Dr Mira Jovanovski-Dasic, former Head of the SEEHN Secretariat
The Executive Training Course on Global Health Diplomacy in Times of Emergencies and Strengthening Preparedness was held in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 25–27 November 2024, as Bulgaria holds the Presidency of the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN). SEEHN’s mission is to work to improve the health of populations in its 9 member states, through collaboration, cooperation, capacity-building and coordination in public health at the regional level.
The event was attended by speakers and moderators from the Ministry of Health of Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, WHO/Europe and the WHO Country Office in Bulgaria, the Global Health Centre of the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (Geneva), the Ministry of Health of Slovenia, the Department of Public Health of Romania, the Embassy of the Sovereign Order of Malta to the Republic of Bulgaria, and the SEEHN member states.
The 3-day course aimed to cover the following topics:
- Global and regional collaboration and partnership to share health and multilateral directions with regional partners;
- Honouring the legacy of Dr Mira Jovanovski-Dasic by carrying out the course while working together to uphold and realize the vision and aspirations she aspired to;
- Strengthening the synergies within this network to respond to regional issues through regional cooperation;
- Supporting economic recovery and connectivity, as part of health diplomacy;
- Strengthening capacity-building;
- Highlighting the relevance of health diplomacy as an important aspect of a multilateral approach to public health;
- Engaging in practical simulations;
- Sharing discourse on what is done at the country level within government discussions, to build and shape regional and global negotiations to come together for common health;
- Ensuring that health diplomacy starts at home, then expands to collaborate with wider networks such as SEEHN, throughout the year;
- Defining the many and changing threats across our borders, including conflicts in the region, and discussing the shared responsibility to relieve the suffering of people in conflict;
- Discussing potential future pandemics and what is needed to ensure prevention, preparedness and response are unified to meet the needs.
A total of 51 participants from the 9 member states took part in the event, which included presentations, guest speakers and simulation exercises. Discussions centred around how to leverage the Network to improve prevention, preparedness and response to future pandemics, building on the lessons learned from COVID-19, mpox and other recent health crises.
Event notice
WHO/Europe and the WHO Country Office in Bulgaria, in partnership with the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN), Bulgarian Ministry of Health and Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute, with generous support from the Government of Luxembourg, will conduct the "Executive Training Course on Global Health Diplomacy in times of emergencies and strengthening preparedness (HDC)" in Sofia, Bulgaria, 25–27 November 2024. The activity is organized by SEEHN with support from the WHO Country Office. The HDC aims to enhance and foster the health capacities of health managers in the SEEHN member states, targeting specifically the SEE region within a wider global health prospective.
The 3-day HDC will bridge health policy, science and diplomacy to achieve better health outcomes. The event will bring together senior and high-level representatives from respective ministries of health within the SEEHN member states.