Director Natasha Azzopardi Muscat gears up to welcome ‘over 50’ countries to WHO Committee

Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, Director of Country Health Policies and Systems at the World Health Organisation (WHO) has taken to social media to celebrate the start of the 72nd Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe.

This event is set to take place in Tel Aviv, Israel between 12th and 14th September.

During this event, Dr Azzopardi Muscat stated that the Division of Country Health Policies & Systems – which she is “so privileged to lead” –will be leading sessions on “digital health, disabilities, health workforce, access to novel medicines, precision medicine, long COVID, healthy ageing and a health and wellbeing economy”.

“I’m also delighted to be launching a report on the state of the health workforce and a series of country insights which we produced with the European Observatory on Health Systems & Policies for the Eastern part of our region”, she stated.

At this event, the WHO Euro Regional Committee will be welcoming health ministers and high-level delegates of the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region, as well as representatives of partner organizations and civil society.

These meetings are set to be “an opportunity to reflect on progress so far and further steps needed to implement the European Programme of Work (EPW) 2020–2025 – ‘United Action for Better Health in Europe’”, WHO stated.

“A particular focus will be on the EPW’s contribution to advancing health and well-being at the country level,” the organisation added.

Concluding her post, Dr Azzopardi Muscat highlighted how said meeting “comes at a critical moment for health systems in Europe.”

A qualified Medical Doctor, Dr Azzopardi Muscat joined WHO in February 2020 as a Senior Advisor for WHO EURO. After around three months in said position, she enjoyed a promotion to Director of Country Health Policies and Systems.

Her previous positions include Consultant for Public Health Medicine and Senior Lecturer at the University of Malta, and Chief Medical Officer at the country’s Health Ministry.