South-Eastern Europe Health Network - SEEHN

18/06/2026

Shaping the Future of Health Cooperation in South-Eastern Europe
Today in Skopje, representatives of SEEHN Member States concluded the first Regional Consultation Workshop dedicated to the development of the Bucharest Pledge and the SEEHN Strategic Action Plan 2027–2032.
Building on the momentum of the 49th SEEHN Plenary Meeting, participants engaged in a forward-looking strategic dialogue on the future of regional health cooperation, identifying shared priorities, emerging challenges, and opportunities for stronger collaboration.
The discussions reaffirmed a common vision: health must remain a strategic investment in resilient societies, sustainable development, and regional stability.
The recommendations developed during the consultation will contribute to the drafting of the SEEHN Bucharest Pledge and the Strategic Action Plan 2027–2032, helping shape the next chapter of cooperation across South-Eastern Europe.
As SEEHN marks 25 years of partnership, the Network continues to demonstrate the value of regional solidarity, dialogue, and collective action in improving health outcomes for all.

17/06/2026

Today in Skopje, health leaders, experts and partners from across South-Eastern Europe gathered for the 49th Plenary Meeting of the South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN).
This year's meeting carries special significance as SEEHN celebrates 25 years of regional cooperation in health.
For a quarter of a century, SEEHN has brought countries together to share expertise, build capacity, and develop joint responses to common health challenges. What began as a regional initiative has grown into one of Europe's most successful health cooperation platforms.
The opening session featured contributions from representatives of SEEHN Member States, WHO, and international partners, along with special video messages from WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr. Hans Kluge, European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi, and Ministers of Health from across the region.
A highlight of the day was the Dr. Alexandre Berlin Prize Award Ceremony, which recognized outstanding contributions to public health and regional cooperation. Congratulations to Prof. Alex Leventhal, the 2026 recipient.
Discussions throughout the day centered on health innovation, emergency preparedness, artificial intelligence, genomics, digital transformation, and the growing role of nursing leadership in building resilient health systems.
As SEEHN looks ahead to its next chapter, Member States also discussed priorities for the upcoming Romanian Presidency and for developing the Bucharest Pledge, a new vision for regional health cooperation.
Together, we celebrate 25 years of partnership and continue working toward stronger, more resilient, and people-centered health systems across Southeastern Europe.
Министерство за здравство / Ministria e Shëndetësisë

12/06/2026

🩸 World Blood Donor Day 2026
Today, SEEHN joins the global community in celebrating and thanking all voluntary blood donors whose generosity helps save lives every day.
Blood donations are essential for trauma care, surgeries, cancer treatment, maternal and neonatal care, and many other life-saving interventions. Behind every successful transfusion is a person who chose to help someone they may never meet.
This year's theme, "One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives.", reminds us that blood donation is more than a medical act—it reflects the values of social responsibility, community engagement, and a shared commitment to the health and well-being of all citizens.
SEEHN extends its sincere gratitude to blood donors across South-Eastern Europe, as well as to healthcare professionals, transfusion services, volunteers, and organizations working to ensure safe and timely access to blood and blood products.
Every donation matters. Every donor makes a difference.

27/05/2026

SEEHN was pleased to co-organize the 2nd Public Health Conference and 2nd HSG Europe Preconference in Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia, bringing together around 100 participants from the region and beyond, both in person and online.
Held under the theme “Building Evidence-Based Resilient Health Systems in a Changing Europe”, the Conference provided an important platform for dialogue among academia, research, policy and public health stakeholders.
In her opening and closing remarks, SEEHN Head Dr. Tatiana Păduraru emphasized the importance of regional cooperation, stronger links between policy and practice, and investment in resilient health systems.
Discussions highlighted the critical role of research, academia and evidence-informed decision making in addressing contemporary public health challenges — aligned with this year’s World Health Day emphasis on science and informed action.
SEEHN also supported participation through scholarships for representatives from Albania, Bulgaria, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia, reinforcing regional collaboration and knowledge exchange.
SEEHN extends its appreciation to all organizers, partners, speakers and participants for contributing to a meaningful regional dialogue on the future of health systems and public health.

20/05/2026

SEEHN at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva! 🌍

The South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) is currently in Geneva for the 79th World Health Assembly ( ). It’s an inspiring week of collaboration, bringing together health ministers and global stakeholders to shape the future of healthcare worldwide.

The State of Israel, our current SEEHN Presidency, delivered a powerful intervention on behalf of our nine Member States, 🇦🇱🇧🇦🇧🇬🇮🇱🇲🇪🇲🇩🇲🇰🇷🇴🇷🇸. We highlighted our ongoing work to strengthen health systems, from digital transformation to mental health and workforce development.

We are proud to share the progress made through our recent regional initiatives, including workshops on Healthy Ageing (Montenegro) and Trauma-Informed Care (Romania).

At SEEHN, we believe that regional cooperation is the key to solving shared health challenges and building a healthier future for everyone in South-Eastern Europe.

Learn more about our work: https://seehn.org

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12/05/2026

Today we celebrate International Nurses Day 💙
Under the theme launched by the International Council of Nurses — “Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives” — SEEHN reaffirms its commitment to supporting nurses and midwives across our region.
In April, we gathered in Bucharest for a regional seminar on trauma-informed care, focusing on how to better support both patients and the health workforce.
We are also working to strengthen cooperation with the WHO Collaborating Centre for Leadership and Governance in Nursing to further invest in leadership and training.
👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ Because when nurses are supported, health systems are stronger.

22/04/2026

SEEHN successfully held the regional workshop
“Strengthening Health Workforce Capacity through Trauma-Informed Care as a System Competency”
Bucharest | 21–22 April 2026
The event brought together participants from SEEHN Member States — Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Moldova, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia — alongside Romanian healthcare professionals from both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The session was opened by Mircea Timofte, President of OAMGMAMR and of the RHDC on Nursing and Midwifery, and by Tatiana Paduraru, head of the SEEHN. We were honored to welcome high-level representatives to the opening session, including Claudiu Damian, Florentina Furtunescu, and Silvia Gatscher (WHO). The session was moderated by Roxana Hainagiu, representative of the SEEHN RHDC on Nursing and Midwifery.
Over two days of discussions, participants explored how trauma-informed approaches can strengthen health systems — from leadership and governance to practical implementation and regional cooperation.
The sessions were led by Dr Nistor Becia, MBE, with contributions from Daniela Nedelcu, in an interactive and practice-oriented format.
💬 Key takeaway: trauma-informed care is not only a clinical tool, but a system-level competency essential for resilient health systems.
🙏 Thank you to all participants and partners for contributing to a meaningful regional exchange!

17/04/2026

📍 Strengthening cooperation for the future of health systems in South-Eastern Europe
Dr Tatiana Paduraru met with H.E. Ambassador Adela Monica Axinte to discuss Romania’s upcoming SEEHN Presidency (2026–2027).
The conversation focused on:
🏥 Strengthening primary health care
💻 Advancing digital health
👩‍⚕️ Supporting the health workforce, including nursing leadership
🛡️ Building resilient and well-governed health systems
🎉 Plans are also underway to celebrate 25 years of SEEHN, marking a strong legacy of regional collaboration.

07/04/2026

🌍 World Health Day 2026 |
The South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) joins the global community in supporting the WHO message:
“Together for health. Stand with science.”
In today’s complex world, science and evidence-based policies are essential for building resilient and equitable health systems.
🔎 At the same time, tackling misinformation is more important than ever.
This is why health literacy must be a priority:
✔️ clear and accessible information
✔️ empowered citizens who can identify credible sources
✔️ health professionals as trusted communicators
🤝 Through regional cooperation and shared knowledge, we can turn evidence into action.
Today, we call on everyone:
Stand with science. Invest in knowledge. Build trust. Act together for health.