Director-General, Regional Director, Chair, honourable ministers, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

When I stood before you at last year’s session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, I never imagined that one year later we would find ourselves in these extraordinary circumstances. It would have seemed incomprehensible had you told me then that the next Regional Committee meeting would be delivered remotely, months into a pandemic that has held the Region and much of the world in its grip since early spring.

Now, as we face the worst global health crisis in 100 years, I am reminded of the words of Winston Churchill, who once said, “I am always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught”.

The pandemic has proven to be a tough teacher, testing us when we didn’t expect it and making us pay for our missteps. I am sure that you, as I, have experienced uncertainty, worry and sadness in recent months, as we try to find meaning in rapidly changing events, as we are unable to follow the familiar patterns of daily life, and as we are prevented from spending time with friends and loved ones.

For many, the psychological, emotional, social and economic costs of the pandemic will be felt for years to come. The pandemic has made even more clear the health inequities and areas of weakness that exist in our Region. But – while we have certainly been tested and taught these past months, we have also had the opportunity to learn a great deal collectively.

To begin with, we have, as a society, learned – though for many of us this was never in doubt – that there can be no health care without the health workforce. Health workers are the backbone of our health services. These brave individuals have put themselves in danger to serve their fellow citizens.

They have worked around the clock to respond to the pandemic and to keep other essential health and care services operating. They have, and have earned, even more so our deepest gratitude and respect, and they deserve our unwavering support.

Indeed, how we succeed in combatting COVID-19 depends on how we support our health workers. This includes training and preparing them, so they have the tools they need to provide safe and appropriate information and care to their communities. We must protect their physical health, prioritize their mental health, and ensure they have the necessary support to ease their burden of worrying about their own home life, in addition to their life-saving work.

I have been pleased to learn that, as part of World Patient Safety Day, taking place this week, WHO plans to launch a draft Health Worker Safety Charter, dedicated to supporting our health care workforce and building a sustainable workforce for the future. There has never been a more important moment to prioritize health worker safety in our Region, as it is directly linked to patient safety.

Half of the health workforce in the European Region is made up of nurses and midwives. This year designated the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, we celebrate the pivotal contribution they make providing care throughout people’s lives.

As health systems change, nurses and midwives are taking on increasingly advanced and specialized roles, leading teams, conducting research, influencing and implementing policy, and educating the next generation. Through the COVID-19 emergency and beyond, we must invest in them, and support them to reach their full potential.  To all the nurses, midwives, health and care workers across the European Region, you have my deepest respect and admiration, and I thank you.

In my 15 years as Patron of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, I have had the chance to focus on several specific health issues. Now, COVID-19 has added a new sense of urgency to these areas.

Maternal and child health in the Region has always been a priority, and for many of you participating today, but the pandemic has put children and mothers at risk in alarming new ways. While most cases of COVID-19 in those aged 0 to 19 are mild, the consequences of the pandemic have been serious for this group. And we have reports from countries, civil society and academia confirming that violence against women and children has increased during the pandemic.

We have learned the tremendous value of our education system in recent months, and we can see more clearly how closely linked it is with our health system and how vital it is in protecting children’s health and well-being. As we move forward, public health approaches to the pandemic must take account of how they affect everyone, particularly children.

Failure to prioritize maternal and child health during the recovery phase of the pandemic will reverse many of the encouraging gains made in the European Region over the past decades.

Perhaps no area is more vital to the health of new-borns, children and all of society than immunization. I am a firm believer in the life-saving power of vaccines, and I have worked in partnership with the Regional Office to share the message that vaccination is a right and a responsibility for all. Prior to the pandemic, we had many reasons to feel proud and encouraged by the results of our collective efforts to protect people from vaccine-preventable diseases.

In 2019, 96% of children in the Region received their first dose of measles and rubella containing vaccine – the highest coverage ever reported. But the 100 000 measles cases reported across 45 countries in 2019, and now the rapid spread of COVID-19, clearly underline that infectious diseases know no borders.

We all look forward to the day when a vaccine can protect us from COVID-19. It is my hope that when that day arrives, we will see a greater support of vaccines, and respect for their power to protect and save lives. But our focus on this future milestone should not distract us from our work today to close the immunization gap in the Region with existing vaccines, particularly among the most vulnerable populations.

While we sometimes struggle to convince people of the power and safety of vaccines, we also face challenges in ensuring the safe and appropriate use of antibiotics. Fear of COVID-19 during this pandemic has given rise to more people attempting to prevent infection or self-medicate by using antibiotics incorrectly.

We must remember that antibiotics only work against bacterial infections and that inappropriate antibiotic use raises the risk of antibiotic resistance and this puts everyone at risk, even from mild infections.

We should make every effort to ensure that the crisis of antimicrobial resistance does not worsen as we work to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. As the first WHO European strategic action plan to fight antibiotic resistances comes to a close, the Region will take up a new action plan to guide and support countries in the coming years. This will be vital to meeting the challenge of AMR head on. 

Before the pandemic made its mark on the European Region, we already recognized that many great health challenges lay ahead. We knew it would take dedicated, tireless, collaborative action to reach our health goals, including SDG 3. This is the first Regional Committee session for our new Regional Director.

I would like to commend you Dr Kluge, for your leadership, determination and the collaborative spirit with which you have driven the Region’s response to COVID-19. Such qualities are evident in your vision of “United Action for Better Health”, the European Program of Work to be discussed at this meeting.

Facing a health emergency of unprecedented scope, we have learned that we must, indeed, stand united or we cannot hope to achieve better health for all.

As this group gathers virtually to map the way forward, I hope that we all have the humility to be taught and the openness to learn – from what we have experienced individually and collectively during this pandemic, and from each other. The path ahead may seem daunting. The challenges we face are, indeed, great.

But I have faith in the dedication and bravery of our health workers, and in the commitment and creativity of our health leaders and decision-makers – in all of you. I look forward with great anticipation to coming together at the next Regional Committee – hopefully in person – and to listening, learning and finding inspiration from each other.

Working together to make the world a safer and healthier place for everyone is the most fitting of legacies to honour those we have lost as a result of this virus, and an invaluable gift to the children of the future.

Thank you.