Health In Europe

We turn our attention to the world of nursing through the compelling lens of Stefanie Fernandes and Francisco Ferraz. Francisco, a passionate third-year nursing student from Portugal, brings us into the heart of his journey—navigating the intricate balance of emotional connections and the systemic challenges within healthcare. From his night shifts in the pediatric intensive care unit to the poignant stories that shape his vocation, Francisco's experiences offer a raw and insightful look at the realities of nursing. This episode not only highlights the indispensable role of nurses but also underscores the urgent need for systemic reforms to better support these healthcare heroes. Join us as we dive into the essence of what it means to care, to endure, and to strive for change in a profession that is both profoundly rewarding and undeniably demanding. Find out more about nursing: https://www.who.int/europe/health-topics/nursing

What are we doing to prepare for the next pandemic? We go behind the scenes at WHO and some of the European region’s major public health institutions to understand what the most likely causes of future pandemics could be and what strategies are in place to avert them. We talk to the experts applying the lessons of previous pandemics and focus in on the systems in place to spot threats and reduce their impact. We speak to the legion of public health experts getting on with the not very glamorous, but incredibly important work of emergency preparedness— experts in surveillance, genomic sequencing, epidemiology and more. The people who are containing outbreaks and laying the groundwork to mitigate the effects of pandemics, not if, but when they occur. With Dr Maria van Kerkhove on Disease X, Dr Gail Carson on pandemic preparedness and Roland Driece on the Pandemic Accord. Find out more about the Pandemic prevention, preparedness and response accord: Pandemic prevention, preparedness and response accord (who.int)

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the WHO's Expanded Programme on Immunization, now known as the Essential Programme on Immunization, or EPI. This initiative has been a driving force behind the quest for fair access to life-saving vaccines for every child, irrespective of their geographical or socioeconomic circumstances. Over the past half-century, EPI has played a crucial role in shaping our battle against preventable diseases. But this is not a self-congratulatory episode, celebrating EPI’s triumphs. We will also examine the persistent challenges of inequitable vaccine access, growing skepticism towards immunization, and the future of global health collaboration. We are going to dissect successes, confront the hurdles, and question what's next for this vital global health programme. Find out more: 50th anniversary of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) (who.int)

There is an alarming resurgence of measles. In the WHO European Region, a startling uptick has been observed, with now over 50,000 cases reported across 41 Member States during 2023. This is a staggering increase from the 941 cases recorded throughout 2022, marking a more than fiftyfold escalation. Measles is a highly contagious virus. It can spread rapidly through breathing, coughing, or sneezing by an infected individual. The consequences of this disease can be severe, often leading to serious complications and, tragically, even fatalities. In addition to the suffering caused by measles, containing outbreaks is costly and detracts from other health care services. Of course, an illness which can last two weeks or more also impacts families directly. In a Region in which 33 countries are considered to have eliminated measles what are the reasons behind this surge in measles cases and what strategies are we exploring for curbing the spread of this virus. Joining us for discussion is Robb Butler, the Director of Communicable Diseases, Environment and Health at the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Find out more: https://www.who.int/health-topics/measles

In the latest 'Health in Europe' podcast, we explore Jack Kavanagh's transformation from a sports enthusiast to a disability rights advocate following a spinal cord injury. WHO talks with Jack for a deep dive into creating inclusive health systems. This episode goes beyond Jack's personal journey, addressing the societal need for health systems that cater to all, highlighting inclusivity, equity, and diverse needs. Find out more about Health and Disabilities on the WHO/Europe website: https://www.who.int/europe/health-topics/disability

We explore the transformative synergy of art and health, and how art can positively help tackle noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) – from cardiovascular diseases to cancer. Join us as we discuss the healing potential of art interventions with experts from WHO/Europe's Special Initiative on NCDs and Innovation and Behavioural and Cultural insights units. Read more in the new WHO/Europe report “Learning from the arts” here: The power of healing: new WHO report shows how arts can help beat noncommunicable diseases

Have you ever wondered what it's truly like to be in prison? As we reflect on the unprecedented challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, this podcast takes you on a thought-provoking journey to life behind bars, encouraging you to empathize and understand the realities faced by incarcerated individuals. Because the truth is, prisons are not isolated entities but integral parts of our society.

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals act as a vital catalyst, urging countries worldwide to strive for Universal Health Coverage. This encompasses the twin objectives of providing financial risk protection and ensuring equitable access to high quality essential health care services. But how exactly do we define quality of care? To shed more light on this important topic, WHO/Europe has launched a brand new podcast called "The Fourth Dimension", which is entirely dedicated to quality of care. This podcast is produced and hosted by our expert team in Athens, Greece, who specialize in this field. For this episode of Health In Europe, we are going to play you the premiere episode of "The Fourth Dimension". If you enjoy it, we encourage you to follow the Fourth Dimension on your favourite streaming service (or from wherever you get your podcasts). Enjoy! More about Quality of Care from WHO: https://www.who.int/health-topics/universal-health-coverage/quality-of-care#tab=tab_1 CREDITS Hosted by: Thanos Myloneros Edited by: Thanos Myloneros and David Barrett Health in Europe Theme Music by: Ben King

One in three school-aged children in the WHO European Region are living with overweight or obesity, and countries are working hard to break and reverse this trend. In this episode, Julianne Williams, WHO technical officer for Noncommunicable Diseases at the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of NCDs, and Mirjam Heinen, WHO consultant working for the same Office, talked to us about best evidence-based practices that can help. LINKS Childhood obesity in European Region remains high: new WHO report presents latest country data: https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/08-11-2022-childhood-obesity-in-european-region-remains-high--new-who-report-presents-latest-country-data Report on the fifth round of data collection, 2018–2020: WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (‎COSI)‎: Report on the fifth round of data collection, 2018–2020: WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (‎COSI)‎ WHO European Obesity Report 2022: https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/9789289057738 CREDITS Hosted by: Aleksandra Olson and Igor Kryuchkov Edited by: Igor Kryuchkov and David Barrett Sound design by: David Barrett Music: Science Marimba by Gavin Linnihan, Cool Cats Marimba by Howard Parker Theme Music by: Ben King

This episode of Health in Europe focuses on a very important question – can vaccines prevent cancer? We know that cancer is a complicated and elusive disease. According to WHO, cancer is the leading cause of death globally, accounting for an estimated 10 million deaths in 2020. So, the potential to prevent some types of cancer through vaccination is quite literally life-saving. Dr. Nino Berdzuli, the Director of the Division of Country Health Programs at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, has extensive experience in public health. In this episode, Dr Berdzuli talks sheds light on how vaccination programmes can support and strengthen health systems, the progress made by the WHO European Region in addressing cancer, and how vaccines can prevent certain types of cancers – such as cancers caused by HPV. The conversation is led by our media officer, Bhanu Bhatnagar. More about Cancer: https://www.who.int/europe/health-topics/cancer#tab=tab_1 More about Vaccines and Immunization: https://www.who.int/europe/health-topics/vaccines-and-immunization More about WHO/Europe: https://www.who.int/europe/home?v=welcome

Behavioral and cultural insights utilize social sciences to tackle ongoing health issues - from vaccine uptake to antimicrobial resistance to obesity and other noncommunicable diseases. In this conversation Bhanu Bhatnagar, Press and Media Relations Officer at WHO Regional Office for Europe, spoke with Dr Saad Omer, Director of the Yale Institute for Global Health, during a Twitter spaces event to find out more about why behavioural and cultural insights matter to public health.

In this episode we hear from Dr Moez Zeiton – a trauma surgeon who’s worked with WHO in Iraq and now is a trainer with the David Nott Foundation, teaching surgeons how to treat trauma patients in some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable.

Alcohol harms everyone and there is no safe limit to alcohol consumption when it comes to health. A new episode of the ‘Health in Europe’ podcast gives the mic over to young people who discuss the harms and policies that are needed with input from Dr Carina Ferreira-Borges, Programme Manager for Alcohol and Illicit Drugs, WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases. Notes: https://www.who.int/europe/multi-media/item/space-invaders-young-people-s-views-about-alcohol-digital-marketinghttps://www.who.int/europe/multi-media/item/a-safer-european-region-free-from-harm-due-to-alcoholhttps://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/361662

More than 30,000 women die from cervical cancer in the WHO European Region every year. But cervical cancer is a preventable disease and elimination of cervical cancer is within our reach. In this episode, we speak with Allison Ekberg, Advisor on Health Policy and hear interventions from Dr Nino Berdzuli, Director of the Country Health Programme at the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Notes Eliminating cervical cancer in the WHO European Region https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/362396/72bg17e-Roadmap-CervicalCancer.pdf What is the Global strategy on cervical cancer? https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240014107 HPV and cervical cancer https://www.who.int/teams/immunization-vaccines-and-biologicals/policies/position-papers/human-papillomavirus-(hpv)

Quality of care is an important part of any health system. In this episode, we speak with Dimitra Panteli, of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, and Dr Joao Breda, head of a new WHO office in Athens focusing on quality of care, to find out more about WHO’s work in this area. Show notes: https://eurohealthobservatory.who.int/news-room/events/item/2022/03/08/default-calendar/how-can-health-technology-assessment-contribute-to-quality-of-carehttps://eurohealthobservatory.who.int/news-room/events/item/2022/03/15/default-calendar/what-role-do-clinical-guidelines-play-in-quality-of-carehttps://eurohealthobservatory.who.int/news-room/events/item/2022/03/22/default-calendar/how-can-using-financial-incentives-improve-quality-of-care

In this episode, WHO/Europe’s Press and Media Relations Officer, Bhanu Bhatnagar, speaks with Professor Johan von Schreeb about his experience dealing with mass casualty incidents during times of war as well as his work with WHO to train health workers and specialists who may face such devastating and overwhelming situations. Show notes: https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/ukraine-emergency/news/news/2022/05/the-importance-of-mass-casualty-training-in-the-context-of-the-war-in-ukraine-an-interview-with-professor-johan-von-schreeb

Not a single country in the WHO European Region is on track to stop the rise in obesity by 2025 – that’s according to the 2022 European Obesity Report. What’s more, the report highlights serious risks to people’s health – including a stark warning obesity might overtake smoking as the main risk for preventable cancer. In this episode we dig more into the report and find out what countries can do to reverse this trend. Show notes: https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Life-stages/pages/news/news/2022/5/obesity-causes-cancer-and-is-major-determinant-of-disability-and-death,-warns-new-who-reporthttps://www.euro.who.int/en/media-centre/sections/press-releases/2022/new-who-report-europe-can-reverse-its-obesity-epidemichttps://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/noncommunicable-diseases/obesity/publications/2022/who-european-regional-obesity-report-2022

As we mark European Immunization Week – WHO confirms that a polio outbreak in Tajikistan has ended following a comprehensive response. We speak with Dr Shahin Huseynov to find out how this was achieved. While Dr Siddhartha Datta speaks about the importance of vaccine equity as we continue to face COVID-19. SHOW NOTES: https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/28-04-2022-comprehensive-outbreak-response-successfully-stops-spread-of-polio-in-tajikistanhttps://www.who.int/europe/news-room/events/item/2022/04/24/default-calendar/european-immunization-week-2022https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/26-04-2022-but-for-the-covid-19-vaccine--i-might-not-be-here-now----the-difference-the-jab-has-made-to-someone-at-high-risk-of-severe-diseasehttps://www.who.int/europe/news/item/25-04-2022-european-immunization-week-2022---celebrating-progress-and-addressing-new-challenges-in-the-control-of-vaccine-preventable-diseases

Labs form an often unseen yet crucial part of any health system. In this episode we find out more about the role of laboratories in health, their day-to-day work as well as what WHO and partners are doing to train up the next generation of laboratory leaders – including a recent training in Kazakhstan. Show notes: https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Health-systems/laboratory-services/news/news/2022/2/preparing-the-next-generation-of-laboratory-leadershttps://www.who.int/initiatives/global-laboratory-leadership-programme

You may remember a couple of weeks ago we spoke about the Economics of Ageing webinar series. In this episode, we speak with Dr Jon Cylus of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies about the webinars and what comes next. Show notes: Where do we find the money to fund healthcare for an ageing population? [https://eurohealthobservatory.who.int/news-room/events/item/2022/01/18/default-calendar/where-do-we-find-the-money-to-fund-healthcare-for-an-ageing-population] Can the costs of caring for an ageing population be controlled? [https://eurohealthobservatory.who.int/news-room/events/item/2022/01/25/default-calendar/can-the-costs-of-caring-for-an-ageing-population-be-controlled] Is the politics of ageing creating conflict between generations? [https://eurohealthobservatory.who.int/news-room/events/item/2022/02/01/default-calendar/is-the-politics-of-ageing-creating-conflict-between-generations]