WHO European regional consultation – NCDs in emergency preparedness and response: from permacrisis to resilience 

5 – 6 September Copenhagen, Denmark: NCDs such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and respiratory conditions are a major threat to people’s health, leading to 90 per cent of all deaths in the WHO European Region. This threat does not go away even during emergencies and is often exacerbated as our attention is set on short-term or acute hazards, such as infections or traumas. WHO/Europe has identified 15 countries and territories that are prone to emergencies due to geographical or other reasons, and where vulnerabilities in health systems can hinder abilities to respond to hazards. 

For more information contact WHO European Office NCD Office

WHO launches new resources on prevention and decriminalization of suicide 

World Suicide Prevention Day was on the 10 September and WHO launched two resources designed to strengthen suicide prevention efforts: Preventing suicide: a resource for media professionals (2023 update) and a policy brief on the health aspects of decriminalization of suicide and suicide attempts. 

Drawing on the experiences of countries that have recently decriminalized suicide and suicide attempts, including Guyana, Pakistan and Singapore, the policy brief sets out recommendations for policy-makers, legislators and other decision-makers considering reform in this area. It also sets out how decriminalisation saves lives by reducing the stigma and shame associated with suicide and promoting an environment where people feel able to seek help; allowing for improved data collection on suicide and suicide attempts which can better inform appropriate interventions; and by increasing opportunities for awareness-raising and advocacy around suicide prevention.  

The fourth edition of Preventing suicide: a resource for media professionals, produced in collaboration with the International Association for Suicide Prevention, summarizes current evidence on the impact of media reporting of suicide, and provides practical guidance for media professionals on how to report on suicide responsibly. There is overwhelming evidence that the media can play a significant role in either strengthening or undermining suicide prevention efforts.  For example, evidence shows that vulnerable persons (such as those with a history of suicide attempts or thoughts, or those exposed to suicide) are at an increased risk of engaging in imitative behaviors following media reports of suicide – particularly if the coverage is extensive, prominent, sensational, explicitly describes the method of suicide, makes suicide appear to be normal, or perpetuates widely-held myths about suicide. The resource offers guidance on how to ensure that reporting on suicide is accurate, responsible, and appropriate.  

For more information contact mediainquiries@who.int

HEPA Europe Conference in Leuven Belgium   

11-13 September: The European network for the promotion of health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA Europe) is a network hosted by WHO/Europe. In 2023, the 12th HEPA Europe annual conference will be hosted by the KU Leuven University in Leuven, Belgium in collaboration with WHO/Europe. The theme of the conference is “Implementing Health-Enhancing Physical Activity research: from science to policy and practice.” It will bring together around 400 participants, including lead scientists, young researchers, policymakers, Member States representatives, and other stakeholders, to share experiences, new evidence, and the latest development in evidenced-based policies for promoting health-enhancing physical activity. The aim of the network is to drive progress in research, policy and practice in the field of health-enhancing physical activity, with a primary focus on preventing NCDs and enhancing overall health and well-being. The members of the network are prominent researchers, academics and practitioners actively engaged in the promotion of HEPA across the WHO European Region. Currently, there are about 220 HEPA Europe members representing 40 WHO European countries within the network.  

For more information contact Stephen Whiting whitings@who.int

Lessons on commercial determinants in cancer prevention and care

From 31 Aug - 01 Sep in Barcelona, Spain, the WHO/Euro-ECL Youth Ambassadors Summer School 2023, on commercial determinants in cancer prevention and care, took place with participation from 35 young activists from across the Region. Sessions examined the tactics and negative impacts of profit-driven commercial entities on policy, populations and workforce along the whole cancer control continuum and how they affect health costs and exacerbate health inequalities.  

For more information contact Maria Lasierra Losada and Marilys Corbex.

Survey on cancer screening in nine countries  

The results of a WHO/EURO-IARC’s survey on breast and cervical cancer screening in nine countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, were published in the Journal of Cancer Policy. The paper calls for replacing existing parallel opportunistic screening with implementation of population-based screening programmes in line with WHO guideline, that include quality assurance and control.  

For more information, contact Marilys Corbex  and Vitaly Smelov

Elimination of cervical cancer in Latin America 

This describes the outcomes of The Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes-Elimination of Cervical Cancer in The Americas (ECHO-ELA) program, which was developed as a tri-lateral cooperation between Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MD Anderson). The program’s purpose is to disseminate strategies for cervical cancer prevention and is structured around the three pillars of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Cervical Cancer Elimination Strategy and the associated 90-70-90 target goals. The target audience includes health authorities from Latin American and Caribbean countries, as well as PAHO’s non-communicable disease Focal Points in country offices as well as clinical and public health collaborators. Respondents stated that the topics they learned the most about included the state of HPV vaccination in the region and strategies for implementing HPV vaccination. Identified needs included support between ECHO sessions and country-specific technical assistance.  

For more information contact Cayon, Ms. Arantxa

 Research-to-policy conference on population-level impact of alcohol control policies in the EU 

13 – 14 September Barcelona, Spain: WHO/Europe organized a research-to-policy conference to present and discuss the latest evidence on potential population-level impact of alcohol control policies in areas beyond “WHO best buys”, with a specific focus on alcohol labelling, screening and brief interventions. The conference will identify and discuss potential research gaps and priority areas in the field of alcohol control, and strengthen advocacy work and awareness-raising activities. As part of the conference, the newly established WHO Collaborating Centre on Substance Use, Noncommunicable Diseases and Policy Impact in Barcelona was officially launched. The Centre has been recently designated and will support WHO in building capacity, and developing and conducting seminars, workshops and meetings. These in turn will enable countries to develop and implement policies to address substance use as a risk factor through multisectoral action. Participants of the WHO/Europe Early Career Researchers course on alcohol and public health will present their final projects during the conference. The event is organized by the Alcohol, Illicit Drugs and Prison Health Programme of the WHO Regional Office for Europe in partnership with the new Collaborating Centre (Public Health Agency of the Generalitat de Catalunya – GenCat). Between 80 and 100 researchers, policy-makers and Member State representatives from the WHO European Region are expected to attend.  

For further information contact: Maria Neufeld, WHO/Europe neufeldm@who.int

Less Alcohol webinar series: Addressing blind spots to accelerate the implementation of high-impact policy interventions 2023 

See the Overview of the Less Alcohol Webinar Series 3rd Edition for more details on each webinar and to access the links to register. To receive programme details related to each webinar in advance, you can subscribe to the Less Alcohol Newsletter.