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 Eur...
Jun 05, 2025•34 min
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 wa...
Mar 17, 2025•31 min•Season 7Ep. 3
Stories of strength and dedication to mark International Women’s Day For 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, an...
Mar 06, 2025•27 min•Season 7Ep. 2
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 ill...
Feb 26, 2025•23 min•Season 7Ep. 1
In this turbulent world, it’s tempting to move on and forget the difficult days of COVID-19. Although the impact of the COVID pandemic is far-reaching, and for many, ongoing, as priorities shift, people are thinking less about the last pandemic or the possibility of another one. We risk falling into yet another cycle of panic and neglect. In episode 6 of Not If, But When, we ask, what are the challenges for the public health experts trying to apply the lessons of the last pandemic, and working t...
Sep 09, 2024•31 min•Season 6Ep. 8
In tropical and subtropical countries, the virus causing dengue is spiking. Close to an historic high of over 6 million cases and more than 7,000 dengue-related deaths were reported in over 80 countries and territories in 2023. Most places in Europe remain too cool to favour the mosquito or the virus, but imported dengue cases have been rising in the European region and the impact of climate change appears to be shifting the picture. To find out more about dengue and the family of viruses it bel...
Aug 20, 2024•27 min•Season 6Ep. 7
The first of the three influenza pandemics that occurred in the 20th century is estimated to have killed over 50 million people. Based on scientific advances, what do we know about the 1918-20 pandemic? What lessons does it teach about preventing pandemics and containing outbreaks when they do occur? Richard Pebody, director clinical and emerging infections of the UKs health security agency, explores the deadly 1918-20 pandemic. Thorsten Wolff, head of the Division for Influenza and other Respir...
Aug 02, 2024•28 min•Season 6Ep. 6
The 2022 mpox outbreak has taught public health authorities a lot about the value of working with communities on important areas like testing, vaccination, and risk communication. Lessons that can be applied to other disease outbreaks. Mpox is back in the news; there are sporadic clusters of cases in our region, and, in Central and West Africa, two strains of the virus continue to cause suffering and death. In this episode, we speak to Rosamund Lewis, Emergency Manager & Technical Lead for t...
Jun 25, 2024•31 min•Season 6Ep. 6
In this episode, we are putting a special focus on the H5N1 bird flu. We explore the ongoing efforts to prepare for future pandemics by speaking with experts like Peter Sousa Hoejskov, who explains the constant risk of zoonotic diseases jumping from animals to humans, and Maria van Kerkhove, who emphasizes the importance of global surveillance and preparedness in the face of potential influenza pandemics. The discussion sheds light on how close human-animal interactions, even in regions like Eur...
May 24, 2024•27 min•Season 6Ep. 5
We turn our attention to the world of nursing through the compelling lens of Stefanie Fernandes and Francisco Ferraz. Francisco, a passionate third-year nursing student from Portugal, brings us into the heart of his journey—navigating the intricate balance of emotional connections and the systemic challenges within healthcare. From his night shifts in the pediatric intensive care unit to the poignant stories that shape his vocation, Francisco's experiences offer a raw and insightful look at the ...
May 16, 2024•24 min•Season 6Ep. 4
What are we doing to prepare for the next pandemic? We go behind the scenes at WHO and some of the European region’s major public health institutions to understand what the most likely causes of future pandemics could be and what strategies are in place to avert them. We talk to the experts applying the lessons of previous pandemics and focus in on the systems in place to spot threats and reduce their impact. We speak to the legion of public health experts getting on with the not very glamorous,...
May 08, 2024•25 min•Season 6Ep. 3
This week marks the 50th anniversary of the WHO's Expanded Programme on Immunization, now known as the Essential Programme on Immunization, or EPI. This initiative has been a driving force behind the quest for fair access to life-saving vaccines for every child, irrespective of their geographical or socioeconomic circumstances. Over the past half-century, EPI has played a crucial role in shaping our battle against preventable diseases. But this is not a self-congratulatory episode, celebrating E...
Apr 23, 2024•34 min•Season 6Ep. 2
There is an alarming resurgence of measles. In the WHO European Region, a startling uptick has been observed, with now over 50,000 cases reported across 41 Member States during 2023. This is a staggering increase from the 941 cases recorded throughout 2022, marking a more than fiftyfold escalation. Measles is a highly contagious virus. It can spread rapidly through breathing, coughing, or sneezing by an infected individual. The consequences of this disease can be severe, often leading to serious...
Feb 23, 2024•25 min•Season 6Ep. 1
In the latest 'Health in Europe' podcast, we explore Jack Kavanagh's transformation from a sports enthusiast to a disability rights advocate following a spinal cord injury. WHO talks with Jack for a deep dive into creating inclusive health systems. This episode goes beyond Jack's personal journey, addressing the societal need for health systems that cater to all, highlighting inclusivity, equity, and diverse needs. Find out more about Health and Disabilities on the WHO/Europe website: https://ww...
Dec 15, 2023•32 min•Season 5Ep. 7
We explore the transformative synergy of art and health, and how art can positively help tackle noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) – from cardiovascular diseases to cancer. Join us as we discuss the healing potential of art interventions with experts from WHO/Europe's Special Initiative on NCDs and Innovation and Behavioural and Cultural insights units. Read more in the new WHO/Europe report “Learning from the arts” here: The power of healing: new WHO report shows how arts can help beat noncommunic...
Nov 15, 2023•21 min•Season 5Ep. 6
Have you ever wondered what it's truly like to be in prison? As we reflect on the unprecedented challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, this podcast takes you on a thought-provoking journey to life behind bars, encouraging you to empathize and understand the realities faced by incarcerated individuals. Because the truth is, prisons are not isolated entities but integral parts of our society.
Jun 23, 2023•29 min•Season 5Ep. 6
The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals act as a vital catalyst, urging countries worldwide to strive for Universal Health Coverage. This encompasses the twin objectives of providing financial risk protection and ensuring equitable access to high quality essential health care services. But how exactly do we define quality of care? To shed more light on this important topic, WHO/Europe has launched a brand new podcast called "The Fourth Dimension", which is entirely dedicated to quality of care. T...
May 25, 2023•17 min•Season 5Ep. 5
One in three school-aged children in the WHO European Region are living with overweight or obesity, and countries are working hard to break and reverse this trend. In this episode, Julianne Williams, WHO technical officer for Noncommunicable Diseases at the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of NCDs, and Mirjam Heinen, WHO consultant working for the same Office, talked to us about best evidence-based practices that can help. LINKS Childhood obesity in European Region remains high...
May 08, 2023•18 min•Season 5Ep. 4
This episode of Health in Europe focuses on a very important question – can vaccines prevent cancer? We know that cancer is a complicated and elusive disease. According to WHO, cancer is the leading cause of death globally, accounting for an estimated 10 million deaths in 2020. So, the potential to prevent some types of cancer through vaccination is quite literally life-saving. Dr. Nino Berdzuli, the Director of the Division of Country Health Programs at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, has e...
Apr 27, 2023•16 min•Season 5Ep. 3
Behavioral and cultural insights utilize social sciences to tackle ongoing health issues - from vaccine uptake to antimicrobial resistance to obesity and other noncommunicable diseases. In this conversation Bhanu Bhatnagar, Press and Media Relations Officer at WHO Regional Office for Europe, spoke with Dr Saad Omer, Director of the Yale Institute for Global Health, during a Twitter spaces event to find out more about why behavioural and cultural insights matter to public health....
Apr 04, 2023•25 min•Season 5Ep. 2
In this episode we hear from Dr Moez Zeiton – a trauma surgeon who’s worked with WHO in Iraq and now is a trainer with the David Nott Foundation, teaching surgeons how to treat trauma patients in some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable.
Feb 26, 2023•14 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Alcohol harms everyone and there is no safe limit to alcohol consumption when it comes to health. A new episode of the ‘Health in Europe’ podcast gives the mic over to young people who discuss the harms and policies that are needed with input from Dr Carina Ferreira-Borges, Programme Manager for Alcohol and Illicit Drugs, WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases. Notes: Space Invaders : Young people's views about alcohol digital marketing https://www.who.int...
Nov 30, 2022•31 min•Season 4Ep. 2
More than 30,000 women die from cervical cancer in the WHO European Region every year. But cervical cancer is a preventable disease and elimination of cervical cancer is within our reach. In this episode, we speak with Allison Ekberg, Advisor on Health Policy and hear interventions from Dr Nino Berdzuli, Director of the Country Health Programme at the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Notes Eliminating cervical cancer in the WHO European Region https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/3623...
Nov 17, 2022•22 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Quality of care is an important part of any health system. In this episode, we speak with Dimitra Panteli, of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, and Dr Joao Breda, head of a new WHO office in Athens focusing on quality of care, to find out more about WHO’s work in this area. Show notes: How can health technology assessment contribute to quality of care? https://eurohealthobservatory.who.int/news-room/events/item/2022/03/08/default-calendar/how-can-health-technology-assessme...
Jun 27, 2022•22 min
In this episode, WHO/Europe’s Press and Media Relations Officer, Bhanu Bhatnagar, speaks with Professor Johan von Schreeb about his experience dealing with mass casualty incidents during times of war as well as his work with WHO to train health workers and specialists who may face such devastating and overwhelming situations. Show notes: The importance of mass casualty training in the context of the Ukraine war: Interview with Professor Johan von Schreeb: https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topic...
May 19, 2022•33 min
Not a single country in the WHO European Region is on track to stop the rise in obesity by 2025 – that’s according to the 2022 European Obesity Report. What’s more, the report highlights serious risks to people’s health – including a stark warning obesity might overtake smoking as the main risk for preventable cancer. In this episode we dig more into the report and find out what countries can do to reverse this trend. Show notes: Obesity causes cancer and is major determinant of disability and d...
May 03, 2022•14 min
As we mark European Immunization Week – WHO confirms that a polio outbreak in Tajikistan has ended following a comprehensive response. We speak with Dr Shahin Huseynov to find out how this was achieved. While Dr Siddhartha Datta speaks about the importance of vaccine equity as we continue to face COVID-19. SHOW NOTES: Comprehensive outbreak response successfully stops spread of polio in Tajikistan: https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/28-04-2022-comprehensive-outbreak-response-successfully-stops...
Apr 28, 2022•31 min
Labs form an often unseen yet crucial part of any health system. In this episode we find out more about the role of laboratories in health, their day-to-day work as well as what WHO and partners are doing to train up the next generation of laboratory leaders – including a recent training in Kazakhstan. Show notes: Preparing the next generation of laboratory leaders: https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Health-systems/laboratory-services/news/news/2022/2/preparing-the-next-generation-of-labo...
Apr 22, 2022•30 min
You may remember a couple of weeks ago we spoke about the Economics of Ageing webinar series. In this episode, we speak with Dr Jon Cylus of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies about the webinars and what comes next. S how notes: Where do we find the money to fund healthcare for an ageing population? [ https://eurohealthobservatory.who.int/news-room/events/item/2022/01/18/default-calendar/where-do-we-find-the-money-to-fund-healthcare-for-an-ageing-population ] Can the costs o...
Feb 25, 2022•17 min
In this episode we speak about a new report from WHO/Europe on inequities in treatment for childhood cancer in the Region and hear from Aron Anderson, WHO/Europe’s Ambassador on Cancer who himself beat cancer at a young age. Show notes New WHO report highlights scale of childhood cancer inequalities in the European Region: https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/15-02-2022-new-who-report-highlights-scale-of-childhood-cancer-inequalities-in-the-european-region WHO European Report on Inequalities in ...
Feb 15, 2022•30 min
