Session 1: opening session
On April 18, 2024, the IANPHI Europe Regional Network held the first day of its Annual Meeting in Budva, hosted by the Institute of Public Health of Montenegro (IJZCG). The overall event focused on the theme "Change – Public Health Approaches to the New Realities," and offered a robust platform for National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) to collectively address the European evolving landscape post-Covid-19 and in a time of conflict. With a focus on research, collaboration, and support, the participants delved into pressing issues, including the impact of climate change on health outcomes and the ethical integration of artificial intelligence (AI). Discussions also centered on enhancing research preparedness for health emergencies, fostering effective regional collaborations, tackling antimicrobial resistance stemming from conflict, and safeguarding scientific independence from political influences. Dr. Dragan Laušević Director General of IJZCG opened the meeting by presenting the host institute, its actions and its commitment to public health, and thanking the Minister of Health of Montenegro for his presence. Prof. Duncan Selbie, IANPHI President, emphasized the importance of addressing climate change, AI, and post-pandemic workforce development. He honored Professor Andrea Ammon for her contributions as she steps down as ECDC Director and highlighted the value of building strong public health networks. Speaking from London, he wished attendees a successful event.
Opening Remarks from the Minister of Health of Montenegro
H.E. Dr. Vojislav Šimun, Minister of Health, Montenegro
The Minister of Health of Montenegro welcomed the participants, expressing the honor of hosting public health leaders, researchers and experts in Montenegro. He underlined the country's commitment to public health, marked by its recent integration into the IANPHI network. H.E. Dr. Vojislav Šimun emphasized the need for global cooperation to tackle challenges like pandemics, climate change, and health care inequalities, which equally affect smaller nations like Montenegro. The Minister encouraged the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and resources among European public health institutions to strengthen systems and prepare for future challenges. He expressed hope that the meeting would provide opportunities to share experiences, support health care improvement efforts, and participate in global public health initiatives. Concluding, he wished for productive discussions leading to actionable solutions that enhance citizen health while also inviting attendees to enjoy the city of Budva.
IANPHI Europe Network Updates
Dr. Trygve Ottersen, Executive Director, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI), and Chair, IANPHI Europe Network
Ms. Olga Gvozdetska, Acting Deputy Director, Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, and Vice-Chair, IANPHI Europe Network
Dr. Trygve Ottersen and Ms. Olga Gvozdetska introduced the meeting with a detailed overview of the activities and objectives planned for 2024. Dr. Ottersen thanked the hosts for organizing the meeting in a wonderful location, and expressed gratitude to all attendees for their presence. He noted the dual role of participants as both recipients and contributors of insights during such meetings. Dr. Ottersen reported that nearly all planned activities from the previous year were completed successfully. He emphasized that the Network Annual Meeting is a central part of the network’s activities, providing an opportunity to discuss priority topics and explore ways to enhance collaboration moving forward.
Ms. Olga Gvozdetska then detailed the network's objectives for this year, which included organizing, 4 to 6 webinars on topics of particular relevance to members, gathering and sharing useful information between national public health institutes (NPHIs), recruiting at least two new members, and supporting the Ukrainian Public Health Center (UPHC) on the basis of the comparative strengths of the NPHIs and the network. She stressed the importance of strengthening and maintaining close collaboration with key partners, monitoring new needs and opportunities, and remaining ready to respond.Ms. Gvozdetska presented an example of successful cooperation at the request of UPHC, where information was gathered on suicide prevention guidelines and national models of services for people addicted to psychoactive substances, including types of services, funding models, service providers and rehabilitation standards. She called for the active participation of all IANPHI members, stressing that their involvement is crucial to strengthening the network.
They concluded by wishing everyone a productive and insightful two days, encouraging active engagement to achieve the network's goals and strengthen public health efforts across Europe.
Keynote on Challenges and Perspectives for National Public Health Institutes in Europe: Reflections from ECDC’s Experience and Interaction with IANPHI
Dr. Andrea Ammon, Director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
In her keynote address titled "Challenges and Perspectives for National Public Health Institutes in Europe: Reflections from ECDC’s Experience and Interaction with IANPHI," Dr. Andrea Ammon explored the evolving landscape facing National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs). She noted the significant impact of emerging political, economic, social, and technological challenges on NPHIs' working areas, methods, tools, skills, and resources. Highlighting the critical role of Local Health Departments, especially during crises, Dr. Ammon suggested when revisiting preparedness plans to better recognize their value and role and include them in the preparedness improvements.
She underscored the need to reinforce the legal basis of NPHIs to ensure their scientific independence, emphasizing that NPHIs should act as policy advisers, not policymakers. Addressing the integration of new technologies, Dr. Ammon stressed that NPHIs' actions should be guided by clear objectives rather than the technologies themselves. She called for NPHIs to be involved in discussions on tools like artificial intelligence (AI) and to focus on skill development.
Dr. Ammon advocated for the exchange of best practices and tools at regional and global levels, praising IANPHI as an excellent forum for such exchanges, particularly through webinars. She concluded by emphasized ECDC's role in providing scientific guidance, standards, and methods, and suggested a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IANPHI and ECDC to formalize and strengthen their collaboration, enhancing mutual support and learning.