Ogtay Shiraliyev

Representatives of 53 World Health Organizations (WHO) member states gathered in Parma, Italy, on 10–12 March 2010 to review the impact of national and cross-border environmental policies on the health status of the population of the WHO European Region: over 890 million people. The three-day Fifth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health is the latest milestone in an intergovernmental process that started in 1989.

The event brought together over 800 participants from countries across the European Region, including ministers of health and of the environment, representatives of the European Commission, intergovernmental and nongovernmental stakeholders, scientists and youth delegates. Azerbaijan was represented by minister of health Ogtay Shiraliyev,.

Governments of countries in the European Union (EU) and other parts of the WHO European Region are expected to adopt a declaration reinforcing their commitment to reducing major environmental risk factors (including unsafe water and sanitation, contaminated air and dangerous chemicals) and emerging global threats (such as climate change). The declaration, to be signed on 12 March 2010, will commit governments to achieve clear goals in the next 10 years.

“Working together and across sectors on tackling environmental hazards has delivered tangible results on the wider European continent during the last twenty years,” says Ms Zsuzsanna Jakab, the new WHO Regional Director for Europe. “However, climate change, the global financial crisis and growing inequalities are putting a huge burden on national governments, making it more important than ever to agree a new way forward.”

News.Az