[Health aid for Eastern Europe--the Eurohealth program and Norwegian contribution]

Europe has changed considerably during the last 10 years. 20 new member states have joined WHO's Regional Office for Europe. These new member states had delegates and representatives appearing in international meetings who were not used to international representation. Such representation had previously been taken care of from Moscow. WHO's office in Europe has a Norwegian, Dr. Jo Asvall, as regional director. His team started a comprehensive plan for the development of health systems in the newly independent states, called the Eurohealth programme. Norway has been very active in this programme. We have supported it in the governing bodies of WHO. We have funded part of the programme, and we have seconded Norwegian doctors to work actively in the Eastern European countries as part of the Eurohealth programme. Armenia and Georgia plus the Aral Sea region have been the prioritised countries. In addition to the Eurohealth programme, Norway has been active in the most neighbouring eastern European countries. The resources have mainly been used in North-West Russia in Archangel and Murmansk. The plan is to increase the funding for work in this region.