Health In Europe

NCDs, AMR, and Policy Crossroads

What insights and lessons learned from the UN High Level Meeting on antimicrobial resistence last September can inform preparations for the upcoming UN High Level Meeting on non-communicable diseases? In this second episode of Intersections in Health, a podcast mini-series, we delve into #NCDs and #AMR common policy benefits and challenges with Professor Dame Sally Davies, UK Special Envoy on AMR, former Chief Medical Officer for England and former member of the WHO Executive Board 2014-2016, and Danilo Lo-Fo-Wong, WHO/Europe Regional Adviser and Programme Manager on the Control of Antimicrobial Resistance.We discuss the deathly threat of AMR for people with non-communicable diseases such as cancer, health diplomacy, the critical roles of civil society organisations in policy, health and the arts and the value of stepping outside our disciplinary bubbles.Tune in and share your feedback on the issues discussed. Please listen back to our previous episode exploring the intersections of NCDs and the triple planetary crisis and stay tuned for our final episode on NCDs and population ageing.This short series is part of WHO/Europe’s count-down to the UN High Level Meeting on NCDs in September 2025. Hosted and produced by Maebh Ní Fhallúin Sound design and editing by David Barrett 

NCDs and the triple planetary crisis

How can we address the intersecting challenges of climate change and non-communicable diseases at once? In this first episode of the Intersections in Health, a new short podcast mini series, we delve into NCDs and the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and toxic pollution with  Hans Bruyninckx , Commissioner on the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health #PECCH, Professor of Environmental Governance at the University of Antwerp, former Executive Director of the European Environment Agency and Sinaia Netanyahu , Programme Manager at WHO/Europe’s Centre for Environment and Health. We discuss attacks on science and #misinformation, the art of knowledge translation, communicating complexity and uncertainty, super wicked problems and system transformation. Crucially, we explore what this moment asks of each one of us and collectively. Tune in and give us your feedback on the issues discussed.  ----------Our next episodes will explore the intersections of NCDs and anti-microbial resistance and NCDs and population ageing. This short series is part of WHO/Europe’s count-down to the UN High Level Meeting on NCDs in September 2025. 

Medevac

Crisis and conflict dominate the headlines.  The ongoing war in Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory have brought death, destruction and displacement.  But among the major disasters and conflicts. It's important to look for the stories of the people who are helping.  As we mark over 5,000 medical evacuations from Ukraine, in this episode of Health in Europe, we'll share stories about some of the sick and injured people who have been transported away from war zones and other emergencies, and of their welcome, medical treatment, recovery and eventual repatriation.  We'll also explore the Region's Emergency Medical Teams to learn about people who, with sometimes only hours notice, drop everything to travel to emergency zones. Who are they and what motivates them?  

Celebrating Women in Science

Stories of strength and dedication to mark International Women’s DayFor International Women’s Day, we celebrate the achievements of three remarkable women working at the forefront of global health. Margaux Mesle, Ana Paula Coutinho Rehse and Harsh Lata work for the WHO Regional Office for Europe’s World Health Emergency programme (WHE) which sits at the centre of global coordination, preparation and response to disease outbreaks and emergencies. Their journeys into science, their challenges, and their advice for future generations are both inspiring and enlightening.

How To Talk to Children About Suicide

 When we hear the word suicide, many of us instinctively recoil. The word is taboo in everyday life.  For family members who have lost somebody to suicide, this stigma can make grieving even more complex.  People may struggle to explain the loss and how they feel about it to friends, colleagues, and other family members. But how do you explain suicide to a young child?  What words should you use? How do you support them?  In June 2024, Ireland's National Office for Suicide Prevention published an illustrated children's book called Safe Harbour, to help parents and carers talk to children bereaved by suicide. The book, written by Patricia Ford and illustrated by Bronna Lee, encapsulates much of what suicide bereavement is about, navigating a world that is both completely new and oddly normal.  For this episode of Health in Europe, we are looking at suicide bereavement with Safe Harbour as our compass.DOWNLOAD SAFE HARBOUR:You can download the book and its resources at https://www.childhoodbereavement.ie/safeharbour PLEASE NOTE:This episode of Health in Europe covers the theme of suicide and contains an account of suicide bereavement. If you are thinking of ending your life, please reach out to family and friends or to a local suicide helpline. If you are unsure of helplines in your area, please visit: https://findahelpline.com