Health In Europe

The fight to eradicate polio

Earlier this year, wild polio was declared eradicated from  Africa. This fantastic achievement brought humanity one step closer to globally eradicating a disease that once took millions of lives every year, and still today affects many survivors in their daily lives. The victories against polio are hard-earned and it’s an ongoing battle to keep the virus from returning. 

United Action For Better Health

Earlier this week, Member States endorsed the European Programme of Work at WHO/Europe’s 70th Regional Committee. Linking to the three key priorities of the Global Programme of Work – protecting more people from health emergencies, promoting health and well-being and ensuring more people have access to universal health coverage. We spoke with WHO/Europe’s Regional Director, Dr Hans Kluge, about how the EPW was formed and what it means for the work of WHO/Europe over the next five years.

Transforming health care with digital health

Digital health offers solutions that offer the potential to strengthen health systems, but it also raises a number of important questions. In this episode, we speak with Clayton Hamilton about the importance of technology to the future of healthcare in our Region and why it is one of four flagships areas for WHO/Europe in the coming years.

Realizing the potential of immunization

Immunization has played a crucial role in reducing mortality and the unnecessary suffering of people as a result of vaccine-preventable diseases across the European Region. Yet it retains great potential to help us build even healthier, more prosperous societies. The third of four episodes highlighting flagships for WHO/Europe, this week we talk to Dr Siddhartha Datta, Programme Manager Vaccine-preventable Diseases and Immunization at WHO’s Regional Office for Europe, about vaccines and immunization.Find out more at http://www.euro.who.int

Establishing a mental health coalition

Mental health is an important part of personal health. It’s estimated that millions of people in the WHO European Region are living with mental health conditions. Tragically, 140,000 people lose their lives to suicide each year in our Region – a stark reminder that we have much work to do on mental health. In this episode, the second of four on flagship areas for WHO/Europe, we speak with Dan Chisholm, Programme Manager focusing on Mental Health and Mental Disorders at WHO/Europe.

Tailoring Health with Behavioural and Cultural Insights

Behavioural and Cultural Insights draw on a range of fields to understand the different drivers and barriers to health. In this, the first of four episodes on flagship areas for WHO/Europe ahead of the 70th Regional Committee, we speak with Katrine Habersaat, Nils Fietje and Anastasia Koylyu about Behavioural and Cultural Insights and how they can be used to help create more effective health interventions. Find more info at http://www.euro.who.int

Building a hepatitis free future

We speak with Patrick Hoffmann, a former nurse at a prison in Luxembourg who worked with colleagues to improve testing and treatment for a range of diseases, including hepatitis among the prison population. This included a tattoo studio where inmates could learn safe tattooing techniques under the supervision of health care workers. This is just one example in a compendium of good practice released by WHO/Europe on World Hepatitis Day. We also hear from Dr Masoud Dara, Coordinator for Communicable Diseases and Programme Manager of the Joint Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS & Hepatitis Programme at WHO/Europe.

Saving lives, preventing trauma

500,000 people are killed in the WHO/European Region as a result of violence and injury each year. That means approximately one person every minute loses their life to violence and injury. In this episode, we speak with Jonathon Passmore, Programme Manager of Violence and Injury Prevention at WHO’s Regional Office for Europe in Copenhagen, about a new report on violence and injury.

What’s in the bottle?

Would you buy or consume a product without knowing what's in it?  What about one that's known to cause a range of diseases including cancer?  Would you expect these products to carry a warning or at least a list of ingredients?Welcome to the Health In Europe podcast from the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe.  Our Region is broad and diverse.  We work with fascinating and driven individuals and groups.  This podcast is about hearing their stories and how it might impact your day-to-day life.