Newsletter – February 2021

1. Editorial
2. EUPHA update
3. European Public Health Week
4. European Public Health Conference
5. EUPHA members update
6. European Journal of Public Health
7. Call for proposals, job opportunities
8. Interesting news
9. Upcoming courses and conferences
10. Interesting publications
11. European Commission news
12. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control news
13. WHO news

1. Editorial

In this second newsletter of 2021, we are happy to present you with our revamped website. The updated website fits our new strategy 2020-2025, is more user-friendly and contains more information. We are also happy to provide you with an update on the European Public Health Week 2021 edition and hope you will check our plans and become active in this week. Further updates include interesting publications, conferences and the latest news from ECDC, European Commission and WHO Regional office for Europe. 

Wishing you pleasant reading, 

Iveta Nagyova, EUPHA president and Dineke Zeegers Paget, EUPHA executive director

2. EUPHA update

EUPHA website revamped to fit our new 2020-2025 strategy

We have improved our website homepage to reflect the new EUPHA Strategy 2020-2025 and its ‘triple A approach’ – Analysis, Advocacy, Action. Visit our revamped homepage to learn about our key activities.
If you wish to make any comments or suggestions, please contact [email protected].

2nd mid-term Conference EUPHA-HWR  

The EUPHA Health workforce research section is organising the 2nd mid-term Conference from 10 to 11 June in Lisbon, Portugal. Papers can still be submitted until the 28th of February. Click here for more information.

EKHA Call to Action to tackle chronic kidney diseases

EUPHA is very happy to be one of the 89 endorsers of the European Kidney Health Alliance Call to Action to tackle Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD) at the European level. The call to action will be officially launched this afternoon, the 26th of February, on the occasion of the joint EKHA-EKPF meeting with EU Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakides. Click here for more information.

Environment and health track report – WCPH 2020

Today, EUPHA publishes the ‘Environment and health in 2020’ report. This report was made possible by the EUPHA fellows and summarises the environment and health track from the 16th World Congress on Public Health, held online from 12 till 16 October 2019. It reports on key messages from the sessions and discussions.

https://eupha.org/repository/advocacy/En…

New President of the EUPHA Public health genomics section

EUPHA welcomes Roberta Pastorino from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart Rome – section of Hygiene, as the new President for the Public health genomics section. We highly appreciate the work of the outgoing president, Róza Ádány, and thank her for her dedication to the section.

EUPHA and Food and nutrition section feedback on public consultations

In February, EUPHA, supported by the Food and Nutrition section, provided feedback on two public consultations of the European Commission on food labelling and nutrient profiles, as nutrition is a major issue when it comes to public health.

Read our replies:
Facilitating healthier food choices – establishing nutrient profiles

Food labelling – revision of rules on information provided to consumers

You too can have your say on those matters. Visit the EUPHA-FN webpage in the upcoming months to be informed of the next steps.

3. European Public Health Week

Host your own event or help us spread the word!

The aim of #EUPHW is to raise awareness about important public health themes and connect professionals contributing to public health across Europe.

This year’s themes:

• Monday 17 May: Communicating science and health
• Tuesday 18 May: New challenges in mental health
• Wednesday 19 May: Your local community
• Thursday 20 May: All for one health
• Friday 21 May: Leaving no one behind

Host your own event: Find ways to get involved and submit your event so it’s listed on the official EUPHW calendar for others to see and join. Contact us if you wish to discuss ideas.
Spread the word: Check our media toolkit for visual aids and other resources, including a promotional flyer with editable versions for translation.
Questions/Sign up for updates: Contact Débora Miranda at [email protected].

The European Public Health Week is an initiative by the European Public Health Association (EUPHA) supported by the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Co-funded under an operating grant from the European Union’s Health Programme.

4. European Public Health Conference

14^th European public health conference , 10 – 12 November 2021

Public health futures in a changing world

Theme of the conference

The theme of the virtual EPH Conference 2021 will be ‘Public health futures in a changing world’. In a series of plenary sessions, we examine the most pressing challenges that will affect the future of our discipline in the near future:

• Public health practice, training and workforces for the future
• Learning from the pandemic, and getting ready for the next one
• Digital health – person centred?
• Climate change and public health – a dual role
• Public health, social health, going back to go forwards.

The plenary programme is organised in close collaboration with our international partners – European Commission, WHO Europe, ECDC, European Observatory, EUPHA, EuroHealthNet, ASPHER – guaranteeing inspiring sessions with leading speakers from our own field of expertise and beyond.

The conference will be organised from Wednesday 10 until Friday 12 November. The programme includes plenary sessions, workshops, oral and poster presentations and ample opportunities for networking in Join the Network sessions. Pre-conferences are held on Wednesday morning. Most sessions will be live with interaction and moderation. More information about the programme is available on our website.

Abstract submission is open

Abstract submission for the virtual 14th EPH Conference 2021 is open from 1 February 2021 until 1 May 2021. Abstracts are invited for workshops, oral presentations and E-posters. All sessions will be 60 minutes. Do not miss the opportunity to be recognised for your hard work. More information on our website.

Abstract mentoring programme

EPH Conference offers an Abstract Mentoring Programme providing an opportunity for young and/or less experienced abstract submitters to receive feedback from experienced reviewers. The programme opens 1 February 2021 and is targeted at researchers who have limited access to colleagues to ask for guidance and comments on their proposed abstracts. More information on our website.

Registration

Registration for the virtual 14th EPH Conference opens 1 April 2021. Registration fees will be announced shortly on our website. 

5. EUPHA members update

FPH Statement on COVID-19 Vaccine Equity

The Faculty of Public Health released a statement calling for concerted action to ensure that marginalised and disadvantaged communities are provided with equal opportunity to access the COVID-19 vaccination.

https://www.fph.org.uk/news-events/fph-n…

6. European Journal of Public Health

Volume 31, Issue 1, February 2021

EDITORIALS
Time to move to open access

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT HEALTH
Tailored communication methods as key to implementation of evidence-based solutions in primary child health care Kinga Zdunek, Peter Schröder-Bäck, Denise Alexander, Eline Vlasblom, Paul Kocken, Michael Rigby, Mitch Blair
Associations between BMI and visual impairment of 33 407 preschool children in Germany: a pooled cross-sectional study Weina Liu, Rainer Schwertz, Andreas Welker, Judith Welker, Simiao Chen, Peter Dambach, Michael Marx

AGEING AND HEALTH
Creating healthy and active life for the elderly in programmes conducted by rural and urban-rural communes in Poland
Anna Augustynowicz, Michał Waszkiewicz, Sławomir Szopa, Mariola Borowska, Aleksandra Czerw
Retirement status and frailty: a cross-sectional study of the phenotype of manual workers aged 50–70 years
Kristoffer L Norheim, Henrik Bøggild, Johan Hviid Andersen, Øyvind Omland, Jakob H Bønløkke, Pascal Madeleine

WORK AND HEALTH
Examining gender differentials in the association of low control work with cognitive performance in older workers
Katherine J Ford, G David Batty, Anja K Leist
The contribution of employment and working conditions to occupational inequalities in non-communicable diseases in Europe
Courtney L McNamara, Marlen Toch-Marquardt, Viviana Albani, Terje A Eikemo, Clare Bambra
Disability pension among persons with chronic disease: Differential impact of a Danish policy reform
Jimmi Mathisen, Natasja Koitzsch Jensen, Jakob Bue Bjorner, Henrik Brønnum-Hansen, Ulla Christensen, Karsten Thielen, Anne Kristine Gadeberg, Ingelise Andersen

https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/issue/31…

7. Call for proposals, job opportunities

Professor in public health

The University of Bremen (Faculty 11; Human and Health Sciences) is seeking applications – contingent on financial approval – for the position of professor in global health. Applications can be done until 26 March.

https://www.uni-bremen.de/en/university/…

Global Health Centre events during 74th WHA

The GHC invites the global health community to contribute to critical discussions during the 74th World Health Assembly. They welcome proposals for co-organised events on governance, politics and power in global health until 15 March 2021.
Send any questions to: [email protected]

https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/Call-Pr…

Survey on how the lived experience of drug researchers influences their work

The Network of Drug Researchers with Lived Experience (NDRLE, pronounced NERD-LE) and the NYU Urban Epidemiology Lab, aims to understand how the lived experience of drug researchers influences their work. The survey takes less than twenty minutes, and will ask about your history of drug use and attitudes about drug use. The survey information will remain confidential, though we do collect IP addresses for the purpose of internal validity. We are interested in hearing from researchers who either use drugs or do not use drugs. 

http://bit.ly/NDRLE_7

WHO full-time Technical Officer

8. Interesting news

Four demands for an ambitious Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan

Health and Environment Alliance | 1 February 2021
Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, scheduled to be launched by the European Commission on 3 February, has the potential to mark the beginning of a new era in cancer prevention. But the EU’s response to the growing challenge of tackling the leading cause of deaths in the EU can only succeed if it includes hands-on strategies to address environmental pollutants.

https://www.env-health.org/4-demands-for…

COVID-19 vaccines: call for global push to maintain efficacy

A call for a globally coordinated system to urgently advise national authorities and vaccine companies on changes necessary to vaccines as a result of new SARS-CoV-2 virus variants 

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-0…

Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes

Survey requested by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety and co-ordinated by the Directorate-General for Communication.

https://ec.europa.eu/commfrontoffice/pub…

Ombudsman calls on ECDC to be more open about its work as vaccine rollout begins

Press release | 9 February 2021
Following a six-month inquiry into the performance of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) during the COVID-19 crisis, the European Ombudsman has made a series of proposals to enable greater public scrutiny and understanding of its work as the crisis continues and the focus of that work moves to the monitoring of vaccine distribution.
They include:

1. Greater transparency on the evolution of its risk assessments.
2. Greater transparency on the completeness of the data underlying its risk assessments.
3. Greater transparency around its interactions with international partners, such as the WHO and the Chinese CDC.
4. Revised communication strategy more directly aimed at the general public.
5. Updated language policy to include as many official EU languages as possible.
6. Systematic publication of survey results.

https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/press…

Variant-proof vaccines — invest now for the next pandemic

Nature | Comment | 8 February 2021
‘The next pathogen to emerge might be less accommodating. A vaccine could take much longer to make. Even SARS-CoV-2 could be becoming more problematic for vaccines, because of the emergence of new variants. [The authors] call for an alternative approach to pandemic preparedness.’

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-0…

The new WHO Foundation — global health deserves better

The BMJ Global Health | Comment | 5 February 2021
‘The current signs from the WHO Foundation are troubling, and suggest that the spirit and letter of FENSA, developed in recognition of the central importance of managing conflicts of interest, are being sidelined. The reputational risk this could pose for the WHO is considerable, particularly at this crucial juncture, and is at odds with other efforts by the WHO to improve the management of conflicts of interest in global health. The lessons of past failed initiatives can ill afford to be ignored. Global health deserves a far firmer foundation.’

https://gh.bmj.com/content/6/2/e004950.i…

Should spreading anti-vaccine misinformation be criminalised?

The BMJ | Head To Head | 17 February 2021
The spread of false health information casts a shadow over required vaccine coverage. Melinda Mills says that we must, reluctantly, consider criminalising people who deliberately spread false information—but Jonas Sivelä argues that the definitions are too murky and that criminalisation may do more harm than good.

https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n272

Covid-19: Social murder, they wrote–elected, unaccountable, and unrepentant

The BMJ | Editorial | 4 February 2021
‘The “social murder” of populations is more than a relic of a bygone age. It is very real today, exposed and magnified by covid-19. It cannot be ignored or spun away. Politicians must be held to account by legal and electoral means, indeed by any national and international constitutional means necessary. State failures that led us to two million deaths are “actions” and “inactions” that should shame us all.’

https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n314…

New study suggests association between early pregnancy PFOA exposure and increased risk of miscarriage during first trimester

Health and Environment Alliance | 11 February 2021
A study released in the Nature journal Scientific Reports finds that exposure to PFOA during the early stages of pregnancy is positively associated with an increased risk for sporadic miscarriage during the second half of the first trimester.

https://www.env-health.org/new-study-sug…

The Independent Panel Urges Equitable Approach to Tackling COVID-19 and Moves Towards Recommendations for Future Pandemic Preparedness and Response

The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response has underscored the imperative of maintaining proven public health measures against COVID-19, particularly as new variants emerge.

https://theindependentpanel.org/the-inde…

A Guide to Global Health Diplomacy

Global Health Centre | 18 February 2021
The present publication is intended to provide an entry point for readers wishing to gain a better understanding of the fundamentals of global health diplomacy and the various approaches in-volve

https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/sites/i…

Are you interested in fair research and innovation partnerships?

It might be interesting for your research organization to look into the Research Fairness Initiative (RFI), led by Cohred. RFI is a learning tool especially for low- and middle-income countries to create trusting, lasting and effective partnerships in research and innovation. RFI assists stakeholders in research to assess their practices with the goal to strategize toward being more equitable partners over time. For more information visit their website.

Health Inequalities Portal – Interactive map

This interactive map provides a quick bird’s-eye view of health and the extent of health inequalities in every country in Europe, and how that country compares to other European countries.

https://health-inequalities.eu/toolbox/i…

Should governments consider Roma a priority in their COVID-19 vaccination roll-out plans?

This working paper was produced by the European Public Health Alliance’s (EPHA) Roma Health project and supported by the Race, Ethnicity and Health Equity team of the Open Society Foundations’ Public Health Program.

https://epha.org/wp-content/uploads/2021…

What are the trending topics in Public Health and related disciplines?

Thanks to this collection developped by Oxford Publications, you can identify some of the most discussed and influential topics with the help of Altmetric attention scores, which take into account several outlets including social media, news articles, and policy documents. The collection will be updated every few weeks.

https://academic.oup.com/journals/pages/…

9. Upcoming courses and conferences

10. Interesting publications

Promoting Intersectoral Collaboration Through the Evaluations of Public Health Interventions: Insights From Key Informants in 6 European Countries

International Journal of Health Policy and Management | 20 February 2020
‘Intersectoral collaboration is critical to the successful implementation of many public health interventions (PHIs). Little attention has been paid to whether and how processes at the stage of evaluation can promote intersectoral collaboration. The objective of this study was to examine European experiences and views on whether and how the evaluation of PHIs promote intersectoral collaboration.’

http://www.ijhpm.com/article_3765.html

Explaining covid-19 performance: what factors might predict national responses?

The BMJ | Analysis
The Global Health Security Index, which measures preparedness for pandemics or epidemics, published its scores in October 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic was declared. How accurate were its predictions?

https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n91

Conceptualising the Commercial Determinants of Health Using a Power Lens: A Review and Synthesis of Existing Frameworks

International Journal of Health Policy and Management | Review Article
There is increasing recognition that power imbalances that favour corporations, especially those active in unhealthy commodity industries, over other actors are central to the ways in which corporations influence population health. However, existing frameworks for analysing corporate strategies and practices that impact on health do not incorporate concepts of power in consistent ways. This paper aimed to review the ways in which corporate power has been incorporated into such frameworks, and to propose a revised framing of the commercial determinants of health (CDoH) that makes concepts of power explicit.

https://www.ijhpm.com/article_4007.html

Can Circumstances Be Softened? Self-Efficacy, Post-Migratory Stressors, and Mental Health among Refugees

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health | 4 February 2021
Post-migratory stressors (PS) are a risk factor for mental health problems among resettled refugees. There is a need to identify factors which can reduce this burden. Self-efficacy (SE) is associated with refugees’ mental health. The current study examined whether SE can protect this group from the impact of PS on mental wellbeing.

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/4/1440…

Time to take critical race theory seriously: moving beyond a colour-blind gender lens in global health

The Lancet Global Health | Comment | 1 February 2021
‘Current impassioned conversations about systemic racism present an opportunity to embrace race as an omnipresent factor influencing global health practice, research, and outcomes. This racial consciousness needs to be part and parcel of our efforts to address gender inequity worldwide. Now, more than ever, we must centre our work on people at the racial margins, in each of the intersecting racial contexts of the global health sector. Only then will we develop an essential sense of humility and self-awareness to be antiracist in our work.’

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langl…

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health | 3 February 2021
The current study demonstrated that a considerable number of HCWs reported clinical depressive and PTSD symptoms, revealing the necessity for preventive and supportive measures toward HCWs, even in countries with a relatively SARS-CoV-2 burden, such as the Republic of Cyprus.

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/4/1435…

Publication: Public health competences through the lens of the COVID‐19 pandemic: what matters for health workforce preparedness for global health emergencies

Open access article by Czabanowska K, Kuhlmann E.
Int J Health Plann Mgmt. 2021 

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf…

Research for Health Justice: an ethical framework linking global health research to health equity

The BMJ Global Health | Analysis | 15 February 2021
‘This paper describes how the ‘research for health justice’ framework was generated and pulls together a body of work spanning the last decade to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date version of its guidance.’

https://gh.bmj.com/content/6/2/e002921

Challenges in ensuring global access to COVID-19 vaccines: production, affordability, allocation, and deployment

The Lancet | Health Policy | 12 February 2021
‘In this Health Policy paper, [the authors] discussed the development and production, affordability, allocation, and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines, as well as the interactions between these dimensions of the global vaccination challenge. The distinct characteristics of leading COVID-19 vaccines across each of these dimensions generate trade-offs, which mean that both globally and nationally, the availability of diversified sets of vaccine options is likely to be needed to bring the global pandemic under control.’

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lance…

Is fighting against COVID-19 enough?

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health | Commentary | 1 February 2021
‘There is a need to extend the recently used tools to all available instruments, including physiological principles of prevention and promotion. The way to integrate global solidarity into the strategies of the different countries is critical not only for global health but also for the peace and long-term success for each individual country.’

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10…

11. European Commission news

Being smart about our health: how artificial intelligence can help transform Europe’s health sector

A high-standard health system, rich health data and a strong research and innovation ecosystem are Europe’s key assets that can help transform its health sector and make the EU a global leader in health-related artificial intelligence applications.

https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/news/being-s…

JRC scientists on #WorldCancerDay: #WeWill work to one day conquer cancer

At the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, scientists of different backgrounds and with different expertise are dedicated to helping the Commission fulfil its mission to conquer cancer.

https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/news/jrc-sci…

Innovation to market: How to boost innovation in healthcare

An infographic that shows ten steps that can be taken to ensure that innovations move from pilot conception to adoption and scale-up.

https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-mark…

EU to invest €150 million for research to counter coronavirus variants

The Commission presented a Communication for the proposed launch of a European bio-defence preparedness programme called “HERA Incubator” to address the emerging threat of coronavirus variants.  Plans include important new research investments, mobilising an additional €30 million from Horizon 2020 to be complemented by a further €120 million from Horizon Europe.

https://ec.europa.eu/info/news/eu-invest…

Open Research Europe

Open Research Europe is an open access publishing platform for the publication of research stemming from Horizon 2020 funding across all subject areas. The platform makes it easy for Horizon 2020 beneficiaries to comply with the open access terms of their funding and offers researchers a publishing venue to share their results and insights rapidly and facilitate open, constructive research discussion.

https://open-research-europe.ec.europa.e…

New EU project to support readiness for vaccination efforts and resilient health systems in the Western Balkans

The European Union in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched a new regional project worth over €7 million to support safe and effective vaccination of the populations across the Western Balkans.

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscor…

EU doubles contribution to COVAX to €1 billion to ensure safe and effective vaccines for low and middle-income countries

The European Union has announced an additional €500 million for the COVAX Facility, doubling its contribution to date for the global initiative that is leading efforts to secure fair and equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines in low and middle-income countries.

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscor…

12. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control news

Eurosurveillance – Volume 26, Issue 5, 04 February 2021

Rapid communication
Preliminary report of an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in mink and mink farmers associated with community spread, Denmark, June to November 2020
Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 protect against re-infection during outbreaks in care homes, September and October 2020
Research
National perinatal survey demonstrates a decreasing seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among pregnant women in France, 1995 to 2016: impact for screening policy
Healthcare-associated infections in home healthcare: an extensive assessment, 2019
Miscellaneous
Response to retraction request and allegations of misconduct and scientific flaw
Erratum
Erratum for Euro Surveill. 2020;25(3)

https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content…

Eurosurveillance – Volume 26, Issue 6, 11 February 2021

Rapid communication
Impact of age, ethnicity, sex and prior infection status on immunogenicity following a single dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine: real-world evidence from healthcare workers, Israel, December 2020 to January 2021
Comparison and correlation of commercial SARS-CoV-2 real-time-PCR assays, Ireland, June 2020
Surveillance
Lessons from intensified surveillance of viral hepatitis A, Israel, 2017 and 2018
Research
Respiratory syncytial virus in young children: community cohort study integrating serological surveys, questionnaire and electronic health records, Born in Bradford cohort, England, 2008 to 2013

https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content…

Eurosurveillance – Volume 26, Issue 7, 18 February 2021

Rapid communication
Reducing contacts to stop SARS-CoV-2 transmission during the second pandemic wave in Brussels, Belgium, August to November 2020
Outbreaks
An outbreak investigation of Legionella non-pneumophila Legionnaires’ disease in Sweden, April to August 2018: Gardening and use of commercial bagged soil associated with infections
Letter
Letter to the editor: Excess all-cause mortality during second wave of COVID-19 – the Polish perspective
Authors’ response: Excess all-cause mortality during second wave of COVID-19 – the Polish perspective
Author’s correction
Correction for Euro Surveill. 2020;25(32)

https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content…

Eurosurveillance – Volume 26, Issue 8, 25 February 2021

Surveillance
Screening for Candida auris in patients admitted to eight intensive care units in England, 2017 to 2018 Estimates of mortality attributable to COVID-19: a statistical model for monitoring COVID-19 and seasonal influenza, Denmark, spring 2020
Research
Impact of physical distancing measures against COVID-19 on contacts and mixing patterns: repeated cross-sectional surveys, the Netherlands, 2016–17, April 2020 and June 2020

https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content…

13. WHO news

One year on: European Programme of Work forms vital part of COVID-19 response

A year since being confirmed as WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge has overseen the endorsement by Member States of the European Programme of Work, 2020–2025 – “United Action for Better Health in Europe” (EPW), which has already had an impact on WHO/Europe’s response to the pandemic.

https://www.euro.who.int/en/about-us/reg…

Forum for tackling misinformation on health and NCDs

WHO has created a forum for tackling misinformation on health and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
The WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases is bringing together a broad range of stakeholders in a series of meetings to gather the necessary expertise to tackle health disinformation and help build a toolkit of policy initiatives for the future.

https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topic…

WHO delivers EU-funded medical supplies to Kazakhstan to protect health care workers against COVID-19

WHO, with financial support from the European Union (EU), delivered over 8 tonnes of medical supplies to Kazakhstan to support the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The delivery included personal protective equipment, that is, items such as surgical masks and gowns, as well as laboratory equipment.

https://www.euro.who.int/en/countries/ka…

World Cancer Day: know the facts – tobacco and alcohol both cause cancer

On World Cancer Day, marked on 4 February, WHO/Europe focused on the need to minimize exposure to both alcohol and tobacco. While many people understand the risks of developing cancer associated with smoking, many remain unaware that alcohol also causes cancer.

https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topic…

Statement – Catastrophic impact of COVID-19 on cancer care

Statement by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe
‘COVID-19 poses multiple threats. One we cannot afford to ignore is an epidemic of cancer. Ensuring continuity of cancer care while fighting COVID-19 has been hugely challenging for countries across the WHO European Region, a continent that accounts for approximately one third of all reported COVID-19 cases and deaths to date – that is more than 750 000 lost lives.’

https://www.euro.who.int/en/media-centre…

WHO/Europe launches ambitious initiative seeking to reduce lives lost to cancer

WHO/Europe launched United Action Against Cancer to galvanize support and cooperation from grassroots to governments using a wide variety of underutilized tools with the long-term vision of eliminating cancer as a life-threatening disease in Europe.

https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topic…

Countries strengthen health supply chains with support from UNICEF and WHO

The WHO Regional Office for Europe and UNICEF Supply Division have extended their support to Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova and Uzbekistan in optimizing the performance of their supply chains to ensure timely delivery of medicines and health products.

https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topic…

WHO/Europe looks ahead to a busy 2021

Following an unprecedented year for WHO in 2020, WHO/Europe looks ahead to 2021 with a focus on the continuing COVID-19 pandemic alongside the implementation of the European Programme of Work.

https://www.euro.who.int/en/about-us/gov…

Redoubling public health measures needed due to COVID-19 virus variants

As we enter the first months of 2021, increasing numbers of reports of variants of the COVID-19 virus mark a new development in the pandemic. A variant dominant in the WHO European Region is of concern as it shows signs of being able to spread more easily between people.

https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topic…

Fighting childhood cancer with education: Russian Federation’s experience

On International Childhood Cancer Day 2021, WHO/Europe highlights progressive ways to achieve better outcomes for children with cancer in the WHO European Region. The Russian Federation’s steps to merge paediatric haematology and paediatric oncology into one medical specialty is an inspiring example of how countries’ health and education systems can adapt to new methods and save children’s lives.

https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topic…

Statement – Overcoming COVID-19 and its collateral effects

Statement by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe
‘Now is the time to minimize the damage inflicted by severe disruption of health services, to counteract the collateral effects of COVID-19 while simultaneously keeping it under control.’

https://www.euro.who.int/en/media-centre…

Community needs, perceptions and demand: community assessment tool

The Community needs, perceptions and demand: community assessment tool can be used by countries to rapidly assess and respond to community health needs and perceptions around access and effective use of essential health services during the COVID-19 outbreak.

https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/…

This newsletter received co-funding under an operating grant from the European Union’s Health Programme (2014-2020). The content of this newsletter represents the views of the author(s) only and is his/her sole responsibility; it cannot be considered to reflect the views of the European Commission and/or the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency or any other body of the European Union. The European Commission and the Agency do not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains.

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