Despite some improvements, current levels of air pollution still pose a considerable risk to the environment and to human health in the WHO European Region. One issue of concern is that monitoring o...f particulate matter is very limited in the countries of eastern Europe, the Caucasus and central Asia. This paper summarizes the evidence about the health effects of air pollution from particulate matter and presents the policy implications, the aim being to stimulate policy-makers to develop more effective strategies to reduce air pollution and its health effects in those countries.
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This background document (EUR/RC72/BG/7) was considered and adopted by the WHO Regional Committee for Europe at its 72nd session (Tel Aviv..., Israel, 12–14 September 2022), together with the working document (EUR/RC72/7) and information document (EUR/RC72/INF./4). The Regional Committee adopted resolution EUR/RC72/R3, in which it endorsed the framework.
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Regional Eastern European and Central Asian project (TB-REP) Copenhagen, Denmark, 26–28 April 2016
revised version December 2020
The framework sets out a response to current mental health challenges arising from the negative impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on population mental health and well-being. The EFAMH provid...es a coherent basis for intensified efforts to mainstream, promote and safeguard mental well-being as an integral element of COVID-19 response and recovery; to counter the stigma and discrimination associated with mental health conditions;
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This report provides an overview of the operations and activities of the WHO Country Office in Ukraine in 2023. Despite the acute health impacts of the war in Ukraine, the Country ...bute-to-highlight medbox">Office continued its work according to its core mandate. WHO supported the Government of Ukraine in managing the health emergency and pursued existing priorities set out in WHO’s Thirteenth General Programme of Work 2019–2023, the European Programme of Work 2020–2025, and the Biennial Collaborative Agreement 2022–2023 signed with the Government of Ukraine. The report presents the achievements of the WHO Country Office in Ukraine in 2023 in the context of the war’s impact on the lives, health, and well-being of Ukrainians.
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This policy brief has been developed in response to the contemporary challenge of antibiotic resistance (ABR). ABR poses a formidable threat to global health and sustainable development. It is now increasingly recognized that the systematic ne...glect of cultural factors is one of the biggest obstacles to achieving better health outcomes and better standards of living worldwide. Using a cultural contexts of health approach, the policy brief explores the centrality of culture to the challenge of ABR. The brief examines how the prescription and use of antibacterial medicines, the transmission of resistance, and the regulation and funding of research are influenced by cultural, social and commercial, as well as biological and technological factors. The brief moves beyond the ready equation of culture with individual behaviours and demonstrates how culture serve as an enabler of health and provide new possibilities for change.
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n 2015, Member States of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its accompanying Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the third goal of the agenda focusing on heal...th – good health and well-being. This has the attainment of universal health coverage (UHC) as its umbrella target. Since then, the WHO Regional Office for Africa has been supporting countries plan, and monitor progress towards this goal. This report represents an analysis of the evidence so far countries are making towards this goal, and includes the effect COVID-19 has had on its attainment so far. It also makes recommendations on how countries can prioritize their health actions post COVID-19, in a manner that allows acceleration of progress towards UHC.
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This guidance is targeted to primary health care policy-makers and only addresses issues relevant for primary health care providers. It has been pr...epared on the basis of a systematic review of the best available evidence and emergent country practices in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in the WHO European Region. It will be updated on a regular basis as new information becomes available.
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This paper summarizes the evidence about the health effects of air pollution from particulate matter and their implications for policy-makers, with the aim of stimulating the development of more eff...ective strategies to reduce
air pollution and its health effects in the countries of eastern Europe, the Caucasus and central Asia.
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A series of information sheets to help empower communities and strengthen health systems
This series of information sheets introduces health literacy, its
relevance to public policy, and the way...s it can be used to inform
the promotion of good health, the prevention and management
of communicable and noncommunicable diseases, and the
reduction of health inequities. It provides information and links
to further resources to assist organizations and governments
to incorporate health literacy responses into practice, service
delivery systems, and policy.
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A policy brief on the organization of prison health
These new reports from WHO document evidence of widespread inappropriate promotion of baby and toddler foods. Despite the WHO Guidance on ending inappropriate promotion of foods for infants and young children agreed in 2016 and nearly 40 years since... the introduction of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, many companies that manufacture or distribute commercial baby foods fail to comply with these rules.
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In 2018, the WHO European Healthy Cities Network adopted the political vision of the Network until 2030 that is fully aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: the Cop...enhagen Consensus of Mayors: Healthier and Happier Cities for All. The vision is built around six themes. This compendium comprises tools, resources and networks that are related to one of the themes - place - from across the WHO European Healthy Cities Network and wider from 2010 to 2020. It is part of the support package for implementation of the place theme in Phase VII (2019–2024) of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network.
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Childhood obesity is a major public health problem globally, which could undermine progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Prevention is recognized as the most efficient means of curbing the epidemic; however, given the scale o...f the problem and the many children who need professional support due to the severity of the disease and/or obesity-related complications, health systems all over Europe must take steps to develop obesity management systems. The aim of this project was to assess the response of health care delivery systems in 19 countries in the WHO European Region to the childhood obesity epidemic.
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The brief concludes that sustaining the continuity of EHS requires policies that ensure a whole-society and systems strengthening approach. This involves increased health care investment, community engagement, disease control regulations, and multis...ector approaches to improve resilience, EHS quality, and equity.
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