A delegation from the Ministry of Health of Montenegro, led by the Minister of Health, Dr. Vojislav Šimun, is participating in the Eleventh High-Level Meeting of the Small Countries Initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO), which is being held under the motto "Focus on Innovation" from 11 to 13 May 2025 in Bled, Republic of Slovenia, the government department announced.
During the meeting, Šimun participated in several sessions, where he presented Montenegro's efforts towards empowering and involving the community in the health care process, the Ministry of Health said in a statement, adding that the minister particularly highlighted activities that include improving information and communication about the immunization process, increasing the availability of electronic health services, including families in the treatment of children with developmental disabilities, as well as the development of new mental health services for all population groups, from the earliest age.
At the thematic panel "Personalized and Preventive Care", Šimun also emphasized the importance of the new role of home visits, which are aimed at all citizens who need additional support, especially parents and children, for the purpose of a healthy start in life.
"In this way, we build synergy between health capacities and the proactive role of citizens and communities, who are no longer just users of the system, but also its active participants. Our vision is a system that empowers people - people who become pillars of prevention, promotion and support for health, both for themselves and for the health of their community," said the Minister of Health.
As pointed out by the Ministry of Health, the Small Countries Initiative has adopted a Roadmap that outlines steps to achieve better health for the period 2022-2025, in small countries in the European Region of the World Health Organization, and which was approved at the Eighth High-Level Meeting of Small Countries hosted by Montenegro (Bečići, Montenegro, 3 June 2022). The upcoming Eleventh High-Level Meeting represents the second phase of the implementation of the Roadmap, and is taking place during the period of consideration of the development of the second European Programme of Work (EPW2).
This new health strategy will present a shared vision for health in Europe and has been developed in collaboration with Member States and partners to ensure that it is aligned with national health priorities and commitments. EPW2 will address climate change and health; the silent epidemic of NCDs; demographic change including ageing; building health systems of the future and building a safe Europe. The new strategy will shape the health agenda of the WHO European Region for 2026-2030.
On the sidelines of the meeting in Bled, Šimun had bilateral meetings with the Minister of Health of Latvia, Hossams abu Meri, delegations from the ministries of health of Malta and San Marino, and also met with Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, the Ministry of Health stated.
The delegation of the Ministry of Health, in addition to Minister Šimun, also includes State Secretary Slađana Perišić, MA, and Nataša Terzić, MA, from the Institute of Public Health.
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