WHO Country Office in Ukraine, 2022 report

This report provides an overview of the operations and activities of the WHO Country Office in Ukraine during 2022. Despite the acute health impacts of the war in Ukraine, WHO’s Country Office continued its work according to its core mandate. WHO supported the Government of Ukraine to manage the health emergency according to the WHO Strategic Response Plan 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. This included containing the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing to support the health reform process that had been ongoing since 2015. The report presents the achievements of the WHO Country Office in Ukraine during 2022, in the context of the impacts of the war on the lives, health and well-being of Ukrainians.

The transition from the acute phase of COVID-19: working towards a paradigm shift for pandemic preparedness and response in the WHO European Region

The lifting of the Public Health Emergency of International Concern status by WHO on 5 May 2023, signaled the start of a new phase of the global pandemic’s response and recovery – during which the WHO Regional Office for Europe will shift towards a longer-term programmatic approach to COVID-19. While the first steps towards recovery from the pandemic have been reported in the European Region multiple challenges remain. This regional transition plan outlines a comprehensive roadmap for transitioning from the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic towards a sustained response and recovery in order to strategically and sustainably invest in resilient health systems able to respond to emergencies and maintain essential services at all times. It is the moment to invest and sustain the gains made during the pandemic response and apply the lessons learned of this pandemic and other recent health emergencies, to increase the resilience of our health systems against future epidemics, pandemics and other shocks.

Lessons learned from COVID-19 for the environment and health agenda: web annex: rapid review of reviews on COVID-19, environment and health

This document presents a rapid review of reviews that was undertaken to establish evidence of the relation between environmental health and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The review was prepared as a background document for a policy brief entitled How coronavirus disease has changed the environment and health landscape: a policy brief to underpin discussions about the future of environmental health, in preparation for the seventh Ministerial Conference of the European Environment and Health Process. The review explores possible contributions to the genesis and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 in humans, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic itself and also of the mitigation measures used to reduce the spread of disease. In many cases, the extreme pressure created by the disease and its mitigation revealed weaknesses in the resilience and flexibility of environmental health and related systems; in other cases, it showed what could be done to address other existential pressures, such as climate change. A number of reviewers have seen the pandemic as a pivotal point for change and improvement.

Lessons learned from public health laboratory responses to COVID-19 across the WHO European Region: Paris, France, 25–26 October 2022: meeting report

This meeting discussed national laboratory responses to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the lessons learned from the past two years. The COVID-19 pandemic placed great stresses upon public health laboratories globally. Member States and territories faced many challenges, including laboratory technical capacity, infrastructure, procurement and human and financial resources. A public health crisis of this magnitude, while never anticipated, highlighted the importance of laboratory preparedness and response.

Evaluation report for the training module “Communicating with patients about COVID-19 vaccination”: Greece

The training module “Communicating with patients about COVID-19 vaccination”, developed by the Vaccine-preventable Diseases and Immunization Programme (VPI) of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, is designed to provide health workers with the knowledge, skills, confidence and resources necessary for responding to patients’ concerns about COVID-19 vaccination. An evaluation of the training module and its implementation in Greece, conducted jointly by VPI and the Behavioural and Cultural Insights (BCI) Unit of the Regional Office, took place between May and September 2022. The evaluation was conducted online, which allowed 118 health workers from all over Greece to participate. Data for the evaluation were generated using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods: pre- and post-training questionnaires, observations of how participants used the communication skills in simulated consultations, in-depth interviews, and focus-group discussions.

Health systems response to post COVID-19 condition: report of side event, 13 September 2022, 72nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Tel Aviv, Israel

The WHO Regional Office for Europe and Long COVID Europe, the European network of Long COVID patient associations representing 19 countries, organized a side event on Health systems response to post COVID-19 condition on 13 September 2022 during the 72nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Tel Aviv, Israel.

WHO Ukraine Country Office COVID-19 response report 2020–2021

The first case of COVID-19 was reported in Ukraine in March 2020. The Ukrainian Government led a nationwide response to combat the disease, engaging with a wide range of health partners. The WHO Country Office in Ukraine worked with the Government to help mobilize society and the entire health sector in the response. This report outlines WHO’s contribution to this work, which provided assistance specific to COVID-19, while also supporting health reform and maintaining essential health services, including in conflict-affected areas in the east of the country. WHO supported national coordination, risk communication, vaccination and other health interventions under the 10 pillars of Ukraine’s COVID-19 Country Preparedness and Response Plan. WHO continues to provide critical support on COVID-19 in Ukraine, at the time of Russian Federation invasion of Ukraine in 24 February 2022.

Рекомендации Технической консультативной группы ВОЗ по вопросам безопас- ного обучения в школе в период пандемии COVID-19

Техническая консультативная группа (ТКГ) ВОЗ по вопросам безопасного обучения в школе в период пандемии COVID-19 была создана директором Европейского регионального бюро ВОЗ в августе 2020 г. Восемь рекомендаций ТКГ в совокупности представляют собой рамочную программу действий в отношении школ в Европейском регионе ВОЗ. Данный документ содержит информацию об обсуждении рекомендаций на восьмом совещании ТКГ 20 января 2022 г.

Towards better health and well-being in Small Countries in the WHO European Region: the Montenegro statement: Eighth high-level meeting of the Small Countries Initiative, 2–3 June 2022, Bečići (Budva), Montenegro

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on countries’ health systems and economies, but its impact on the 11 smallest countries in the WHO European Region – many of which rely on tourism as a large part of their national economy – has been particularly severe. Meeting at the Eighth high-level meeting of the WHO/Europe Small Countries Initiative, the countries’ health ministers and delegates endorsed a bold vision to drive recovery in the post-COVID-19 era. The two-day event, held on 2–3 June 2022 in Bečići, Montenegro, saw the ministers and their representatives discuss two key issues: how small countries can successfully recover from the pandemic, and how they can place health at the heart of their tourism sectors. At the end of the meeting, the countries’ delegates unanimously adopted the Montenegro statement, which outlines key commitments for moving forward.

Disruption in services for HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections during the COVID-19 pandemic in the WHO European Region: a scoping review

This scoping review provides an overview and analysis of publications and data from 1 February 2020–15 September 2021 that assessed the disruption of HIV, sexually transmitted infection (STI) and viral hepatitis services, and/or reasons for the disruption and adaptive measures implemented as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the WHO European Region. The scoping review identified 132 relevant publications, with almost two thirds in the form of grey literature, in addition validated data from UNAIDS and WHO databases and surveys were included in the analysis. Data suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused various degrees of disruption of these services, in particular at the very onset of the pandemic, with some rebound by the end of 2020, but with persistent reports of disruption into 2021. Large variations across countries and within countries were noted. The services most affected appeared to be testing services for each of HIV, STIs and hepatitis; hepatitis treatment services; and HIV prevention services– although the impact of the pandemic on harm reduction services, including OST was highly variable across the Region. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) services were generally more resilient, however a disruption of new enrollments into ART was evident. The trends depicted in the review are comparable to findings globally and from other regions and countries, although further data, particularly validated national data and disaggregated data, are required to confirm the impact on COVID-19 on these services as well as specific coverage gaps of key populations in the Region. More evidence is also required on the effectiveness and sustainability of adaptive mechanisms applied during the pandemic. Considerations for a more efficient future monitoring of disruption in services include: supporting monitoring at national level; stimulating rigorous implementation research; integrating and streamlining data collection at global level; and improving coordination of service disruption monitoring.

Risk communication and community engagement: a compendium of case studies in times of COVID-19

This collection of case studies on risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) from 18 different country/area level public health partners in the WHO European Region provides evidence of numerous results achieved and lessons learned since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. RCCE has not traditionally been an area where evidence of challenges and solutions was documented. With this compendium, we wanted to collect and share this evidence to support decision-making in this area of work.

Resilience of age-friendly environments during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learnt from 12 European cities

The WHO Regional office for Europe collaborated with 12 cities of the Healthy Ageing Task Force of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network to identify the main challenges facing older people and their city leaders during the pandemic. Ideas about resilience and successful ways to adapt were exchanged

Health and care workforce in Europe: time to act

All countries of the WHO European Region currently face severe challenges related to the health and careworkforce (HCWF). This report focuses on identifying effective policy and planning responses to these HCWFchallenges across the Region. The report presents an overview of the HCWF situation in the Region (focusing onmedical doctors, nurses, midwives, dentists, pharmacists and physiotherapists, for whom data are available)and identifies relevant policy options, their expected benefits and potential facilitators or barriers to successfulimplementation. Examples of sound evidence-informed practices in countries are also provided. The aim of thereport is to describe the data, rather than to analyse. Data supplied by countries have been used, but in manycases these have been incomplete. It is expected that data will grow progressively in future. No data on informalhealth workers are included. The WHO Regional Office for Europe, working with stakeholders, will supportMember States’ efforts to strengthen their HCWF. It will continue to make the case for investment in the HCWFnot only to secure health gains, but also to achieve economic and social benefits

Technical brief on strengthening the nursing and midwifery workforce to improve health outcomes: Government Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers (GCNMOs) in the WHO European Region

Recognizing the critical contribution of the nursing and midwifery professions to health systems, population health and efforts to achieve the SustainableDevelopment Goals and universal health coverage,and in response to World Health Assembly resolution WHA 74.15, this technical brief aims to: support governments to strengthen government chief nursing and midwifery officers (GCNMOs) in their countries; identify the current roles and responsibilities of GCNMOs and senior nursing and midwifery leaders in the WHO European Region; and explore the enablers to support GCNMOs and/or senior nursing and midwifery leaders to work more effectively to support improved health outcomes. The ultimate goal is to increase the impact of GCNMOs and senior nursing and midwifery leaders on health, social care and health workforce policy to improve health outcomes

Methods for the detection and characterisation of SARS-CoV-2 variants: second update, 21 June 2022

This document aims to provide interim guidance for microbiology and virology experts, other laboratory professionals, laboratory managers, infectious disease programme managers, public health professionals and other stakeholders that provide primary, confirmatory or advanced testing for SARS-CoV-2, including genomic sequencing, or are involved in making decisions on establishing or scaling up capability and capacity to detect and characterize circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Strengthened community resilience and COVID-19 response through community action interventions: needs assessment of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network: meeting report – extraordinary online meeting of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network and national network coordinators: 19 March 2020

On Thursday 19 March 2020, an extraordinary meeting of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network and national network coordinators was convened to assess the needs of cities in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting was part of an ongoing needs assessment being undertaken by the Community Action Interventions (CAI) COVID-19 Response Team to identify and understand the specific needs of relevant partners and actors so that they can strengthen community reliance and response efforts through community action. The needs assessment will allow the WHO Regional Office for Europe to subsequently align its technical support and guidance to support these efforts.