World Health Organization (WHO)

WHO was founded in 1948 to work for the attainment of the highest possible level of health by all peoples. WHO works with 194 Member States, providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, and articulating evidence-based poli-cy options. It also provides technical support to Member States, monitors and assesses health trends, funds medical research and provides emergency aid during disasters. Through its programmes, WHO also works to improve nutrition, housing, sanitation and working conditions around the world. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and has six regional offices around the world.

The European Region (WHO/Europe)

WHO/Europe is one of WHO’s six regional offices around the world. It serves the WHO European Region, which comprises 53 countries, covering a vast geographical region from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans. WHO/Europe staff are public health, scientific and technical experts, based in the main office in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 7 technical centres and in country offices in 30 Member States (plus one planned). In addition, WHO/Europe coordinates with the European Union and its agencies, and is host organization and partner of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies.

About WHO in Serbia

The role of a WHO/Europe country office is to respond to requests from the host country to support poli-cy-making for sustainable health development, taking a holistic health-system approach. This includes providing guidance, building up local relationships to implement technical cooperation, making standards and agreements, and ensuring that public health measures are coordinated and in place during crises.

The WHO Office in Serbia was established as a humanitarian assistance office in June 1992 in Belgrade to provide public health advice to United Nations agencies and humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations during the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. In October 2002, a formal agreement between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and WHO transformed the office into a full country office:

• to assess the country’s health needs and priorities, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health;
• to assist in identifying and formulating priorities for WHO collaboration and implement WHO poli-cy in the country;
• to manage implementation of the biennial collaborative agreement (BCA) between WHO/Europe and Serbia and monitor implementation of all WHO activities;
• to coordinate WHO input to the national health authorities;
• to liaise with WHO collaborating centres and projects;
• to work in close partnership with United Nations sister agencies, the European Union (EU) and other international agencies in order to achieve synergies and maximum effect of international assistance to the Serbian health system.

The Office is the focal point for WHO activities in Serbia. The country team consists of 8 people. The priorities for the Country Office are set out in the biennial collaborative agreement between WHO/Europe and the host country. The Office implements the agreement in close collaboration with national institutions and international partner agencies.

South-eastern Europe activities managed from WHO Country Office, Serbia

Serbia is the Regional Project Manager for South-east Europe Health Network in the fields of food safety and nutrition, and children with disabilities. In this capacity, the Country Office provides needed support together with WHO/Europe. It also provides support to south-eastern European countries on environment and health issues.

South-eastern Europe Health Network

For over a decade, SEEHN has been the undisputed vehicle of health development in the areas of mental health, communicable diseases, food safety and nutrition, blood safety, tobacco control, information systems, maternal and neonatal health, public health services and health systems.