17-01-2025

M. Jakubauskienė discussed public health questions with European ministers in Poland

On 16 January, the Minister of Health, Marija Jakubauskienė, attended an international conference in Warsaw to mark the start of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the field of health. The conference also included a bilateral meeting between the Polish and Lithuanian Ministers of Health to discuss cooperation and future priorities for action.

Ms Jakubauskienė highlighted that Poland's contribution to the Baltic States and bilateral agreements is very important and that cooperation with Polish partners is necessary at strategic level.

"Poland's involvement in the cooperation initiatives of the Baltic Medicines Control Agencies is of particular importance as it allows for the efficiency and strengthening of bilateral capacities in the medicines market. We are also grateful for the close cooperation between Lithuanian and Polish health institutions in the field of organ transplantation, where we share best practices and experience in the introduction of new types of transplantation and the use of post-transplantation treatment methods. And one of the biggest priorities is bilateral cooperation in the field of emergency and crisis management, strengthening preparedness for potential challenges in the Nordic-Baltic region," said the Health Minister.

The Polish Minister thanked Lithuania for the assistance provided with COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic. The Lithuanian Minister of Health invited the Polish Minister of Health to pay a bilateral visit to Lithuania in autumn this year.

The conference "Together for European Health - Strategic Directions and Actions for the Public Health Sector" discussed international experiences and lessons on public health issues. With the Ministers of Health of European countries, Ms Jakubauskienė discussed health promotion and disease prevention, with a focus on education for children and young people. They discussed the effectiveness of public health programmes and the implementation of policy decisions to promote them.

There were also discussions on mental health issues for children and adolescents, the challenges of digital hygiene and disinformation.

During the conference, the Minister of Health met with Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, Head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) European Region. The meeting focused on the activities of cooperation between Lithuania and WHO, the main directions and the upcoming signing of a cooperation agreement with WHO.