The World Health Organization is a very important international body that ensures cooperation in healthcare issues on a global scale. The organization’s efforts were crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 72nd annual meeting will take place in Tel Aviv. It is the first time when this event is hosted by Israel. Hopefully, it won’t be the last.
The conference takes three days and sees the arrivals of 25 health ministers from multiple European countries as well as directors of European and national health systems. This meeting is not just a formal conference where parties exchange experience and knowledge, it is a crucially important period for the finalization of international deals and agreements.
The meeting is hugely important for Israel
Israel is considered one of the biggest destinations for medical tourism and has been spearheading medical research and development alongside other leaders like Germany and the US. The nation’s place in the global healthcare infrastructure is important and requires international support to continue expanding. This three-day conference hosted on Israeli soil is a perfect moment to announce new agreements to cooperate with European partners in the healthcare field.
Nitzan Horowitz, the health minister of Israel, will sign several new cooperation agreements with Croatia, Cyprus, Kazakhstan, and Germany. These countries are interested in building a stronger relationship with Israel. We have been a part of the Eastern Mediterranean Region of the World Health Organization for years but did not receive a membership due to geopolitical factors. Nevertheless, the level of cooperation remained high throughout history.
The meeting is a good addition to the current “World City” initiative. It is a hugely important international event that will mark a new era of Israeli integration in the international community with new partnerships paving the way to more interactions between Israel and Europe in many areas including healthcare. To add weight to the meeting, it will be attended by President Isaac Herzog, Health Ministry Director-General Nachman Ash, and the director of the World Health Organization European Region Hans Henri Kluge.
Delegates will learn from Israel’s experience
While the main focus of the meeting is finding ways for better cooperation between countries in response to healthcare risks, delegates will be listening to reports from Israeli officials about the experience of the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Horowitz stated that the performance of the national healthcare system in the battle against the virus was more than just commendable. The results of strong managerial efforts and the speed with which the system managed to respond attracted the attention of the global community.
Horowitz also says that the meeting is a great opportunity to fortify currently existing connections between countries. It is a moment to position the country at the front of the global community in the healthcare sector and allow it to lead the way toward stronger international cooperation and better response to other global health threats.
It should be noted that Israel has been making huge strides in integrating into the international infrastructure. For example, the health ministry stepped up its efforts to introduce practices and regulations that are considered standard for the western world. The recent ban on LGBTQ+ conversion therapy and other policies aimed at strengthening the new image of the Israeli healthcare system are direct results of the new direction in this field.
Tel Aviv will welcome other important medical conferences and meetings providing a great learning environment for people coming from all over the world. The list of upcoming events includes The International Conference for Innovations in Cardiovascular Systems, The International Conference on Medical and Health Science, and many more. However, the 72nd annual meeting of the WHO’s European Region is certainly the biggest of all!
It seems that the global community recognized the effectiveness of efforts from the Israeli healthcare system in response to the Pandemic and will use this meeting to ensure that this experience is shared among other members of the organization.
