WHO/Europe continues to adapt to a changing operating landscape while delivering its mandate.
This was the main message from the 76th WHO Regional Committee for Europe (RC76) as Member States, partners, non-State Actors and other delegates came together to shape the upcoming priorities for the WHO European Region.
The meeting was also characterized by extensive engagement, with numerous rich interventions on topics on the agenda across the 3 days.
In addition to updates on progress delivering the Second European Programme of Work (EPW2) and budget matters, delegates also adopted new strategies on healthy ageing and artificial intelligence while giving the green-light to 2 complementary strategies: the first, a strategy and action plan for 2028–2037, will tackle noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and advance well-being through health promotion and the second is a strategy on mental health and well-being.
Following a performance by the Grey Singers choir, WHO’s Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus delivered his final address to the Regional Committee, highlighting a range of achievements across the Region and at the global level as well as welcoming the focus on healthy ageing, artificial intelligence, NCDs and well-being.
Closing, the Director General made 4 requests of Member States for his final 10 months: to approve the next increase in assessed contributions; consolidate WHO’s transformation; engage in reforming the global health architecture; and conclude the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) negotiations.
Trust, technical excellence and collaboration
Addressing delegates, Dr Corinne Capuano, Officer-in-Charge at WHO/Europe, opened the session on the Report of the WHO Regional Director for Europe. Beginning with an overview of WHO/Europe’s restructuring and reprioritization process that seeks to strengthen trust, technical excellence and collaboration, delegates also heard an intervention from Professor Anna Odone, Chair of WHO/Europe’s recently established Scientific Advisory Board.
Divisional directors also reported on important areas of work: Dr Ihor Perehinets highlighted WHO/Europe’s ongoing work in the area of health security, Dr Kremlin Wickramasinghe spoke about climate health action and tackling NCDs and Dr Natasha Azzopardi Muscat updated attendees on healthy ageing and shaping the health systems of the future. Dr Oxana Domenti outlined progress on how WHO/Europe is advancing health through partnerships and diplomacy. Before closing, Dr Capuano highlighted 2 special initiatives: tackling violence against women and girls, and primary health care for the future.
Following the address and report, Member States expressed strong support for WHO/Europe and EPW2, thanked staff for continuing to deliver under severe financial constraints and reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and to a WHO guided by science and independence.
Primary health care takes centre stage on day one
Also taking place on day one, the high-level technical briefing at RC76 officially launched the dialogue towards Alma-Ata+50, a forward-looking process to shape the future of primary health care (PHC) towards 2050 and beyond. Discussions highlighted the need to strengthen prevention and health promotion, expand multidisciplinary teams, harness digital innovation tailored to PHC, and ensure continuity of care through long-term relationships between health professionals and communities.
Attending the session, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reminded participants that PHC is about empowering people and communities to create and sustain their own health.
Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health provides updates on work
At the end of day 1, Chair of the Commission, and former Prime Minister of Iceland, Katrin Jakobsdóttir, provided an update to Member States on the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health, including its recommendations and continuing advocacy work, calling on countries to keep climate and health a political priority.
Nominations and elections
During the private session on elections and nominations, Estonia, Finland, Republic of Moldova and Poland were elected to the Standing Committee of the Regional Committee. Further, Albania, France, Iceland and Italy were nominated for seats on WHO’s Executive Board and the matter will be taken forward to the 80th World Health Assembly in 2027. In addition, Portugal was elected to the Joint Coordinating Board for the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases.
Programme budget
During the session on programme budget matters, details were presented to the Regional Committee on the organization’s current financial situation for the 2026–2027 biennium before a separate session on the draft proposed programme budget for 2028–2029.
Delegates commended the Regional Office’s financial stewardship and alignment with EPW2, while emphasizing that strict prioritization must also entail de-prioritization of certain areas with a focus on WHO’s core mandate.
Member States called for greater efficiency across WHO’s 3 levels: avoidance of unfunded resolutions; enhanced transparency regarding expenditure and historical trends of previous biennia budgets; and addressing persistent “pockets of poverty” in areas such as emergency preparedness, climate change and NCDs.
Matters arising from the World Health Assembly and Executive Board
During the session on matters arising from the World Health Assembly and Executive Board, delegates heard from Bjorn Kummel, Co-Chair of the 25-member task force tasked with Global Health Architecture reform. This is an ambitious process set to run until May 2027, which is intended to establish options and recommendations for:
- better alignment of functions, mandates and capacities
- enhanced decision-making and coordination
- financing aligned with national, regional and global priorities.
Delegations provided feedback to the task force in response to 2 questions:
- What is the biggest challenge facing your region that should be addressed as part of the 3 objectives of the Joint Process, as agreed in World Health Assembly Decision 79(20)?
- Which functions should be carried out at the regional level? Which functions should be carried out at the global level?
Delegations highlighted the importance of WHO’s normative role as well as its roles in cross-border surveillance, emergency coordination, intelligence sharing and regulatory cooperation. Better communication between global and regional levels was also identified as an important part of the reform process.
In terms of next steps, an interim report is due for the 160th session of the Executive Board in January 2027 with a final report due in May next year for consideration by the 80th session of the World Health Assembly.
Ageing is living
The Ageing is Living strategy was unanimously adopted by Member States. Speaking at the session, Dr Natasha Azzopardi Muscat highlighted that while many are living longer lives in the Region, a large proportion of these years are spent in ill health.
Following a 2-year consultation with more than 3000 people, the new strategy will work across 2 fronts to improve health, functional ability and quality of life for older people while also investing across the life-course, so that future generations reach older age in better health.
Roadmap for action on artificial intelligence in health
Following this session, Member States also approved WHO/Europe’s roadmap on artificial intelligence in health, stressing outcomes, literacy, oversight and data governance.
Member States repeatedly stressed the importance of outcome-based indicators, validation before scaling, human oversight, clear liability, AI literacy and interoperability. AI has already been used in health systems across the Region; for example, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s National Health Service chest-imaging database (81 000+ scans) and Türkiye’s AI in mammography screening.
However, gaps remain with only 8% of countries having a health-specific AI strategy, 1 in 5 offering pre-service AI education and a quarter providing in-service training for health workers. Fewer than half of Member States assess legal frameworks while almost 40% lack ethical guidance.
WHO/Europe committed to concrete next steps, including issuing a guidance note on AI liability standards and launching the AI readiness assessment toolkit for countries at the beginning of next year.
Toward strategies for tackling NCDs and advancing mental health in the WHO European Region 2028–2037
In this session, the Regional Committee supported WHO/Europe’s continued work in developing 2 complementary strategies on NCDs and mental health.
All 27 Member States that intervened welcomed or supported the development of the NCD strategy. There was also broad support for the mental health strategy, with several countries stressing the need for close alignment and avoidance of duplication.
The overall message was clear: move from evidence to implementation, with practical, measurable and adequately resourced actions that support countries in strengthening prevention and health promotion.
Dr Kremlin Wickramasinghe thanked Member States and partners for their concrete feedback, reiterating that the strategy on tackling NCDs and advancing well-being through health promotion should focus on implementing interventions already known to work.
Dr Natasha Azzopardi Muscat reaffirmed the intention to develop coherent and closely aligned strategies when commenting on the second strategy around mental health and well-being, including, for example, PHC and addiction where the 2 strategies complement and can mutually support one another.
Closing
Commenting on the rich discussions in her closing remarks, Dr Corinne Capuano said, “Engagement has been a hallmark of RC76 – from the Grey Singers, a real-life example of how to stay active and engaged, to our youth representative who called on us to ensure the young generation inherits a healthier future than the one we face today.”
Delegations will next meet at the 77th session of the Regional Committee, which will be held from 26–28 October 2027.