EUROHEALTH Programme

The countries of central and eastern Europe (CCEE) and the newly independent states (NIS) of the former USSR are undergoing rapid and profound change, and assistance from the international community has lacked a common focus. In late 1990, the WHO Regional Committee for Europe created the EUROHEALTH programme to try to meet the urgent and medium-term needs of the CCEE/NIS for technical, managerial and material resources within the framework of the long-term regional strategy for health for all. The programme's strategy includes making collaborative agreements with each of the CCEE/NIS, raising funds and coordinating tripartite assistance with a wide variety of international organizations. The Regional Office for Europe has changed to support the EUROHEALTH programme by establishing a Country Health Development department, and an information clearing-house to track assistance to the NIS so it can be provided more efficiently. The programme's work has created a flow of information and better coordination of cooperation between all the organizations working in the health sector in the CCEE/NIS. The most important EUROHEALTH activities in 1992-1993 have focused on: relieving shortages of vaccines and medical equipment, developing health policy and developing programmes on such issues as health service reform, human resources, noncommunicable diseases, maternal and child health, AIDS and environment and health. The EUROHEALTH programme is a pragmatic and highly appropriate approach to the CCEE/NIS; its main need is for more funding to enable it to meet countries' needs more precisely and to cooperate more effectively with other organizations.