Hannah Branston and Silvia Marcos have joined the EPHA team during the month of November.
Conferences and events that EPHA attended
Victoria, Anne and Lara attended the European Health Policy forum on 22 November. Victoria participated in the workshop on Health care services with other members of the forum and representatives from DG Health and Consumer protection.
Lara was rapporteur of the Health strategy workshop and Anne gave a short overview of follow-up activities on transparency criteria, which were developed during a workshop organised by EPHA in April 2006.
On 8-9 November, Hannah attended the International conference on Neglected Infectious Diseases in Brussels.
Lara also attended the press conference that Commissioner Kyprianou organised together with the food industry, where the European Commissioner for Health praised the efforts of the food industry (McDonalds, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, etc) in combating obesity.
Lara participated in the first Editorial Board meeting of the EU Health Portal in Luxembourg on 10th November. Participation in the Editorial Board meetings are very important for NGOs to maintain the independence of the health information that is linked through the EU Health Portal.
On 13th November, both Hannah and Lara attended the EFC launch of the European Perspectives on Global Health Policy Glossary.
Hannah also attended the EU Development Days on 15-17 November where she represented EPHA at the European Global Health Network stand.
On 20 November, Hannah attended the EU Brussels Offices Working Group on Health, where representatives from DG SANCO gave presentations on the EC Health Strategy for 2007-2013 and the proposed EU Health Services Directive.
Lara participated in the briefing that Commissioner Markos Kyprianou organised in the European Policy Center on the 21st November 2006 about the Commission policies on promoting healthy lifestyles. She also participated on the same day on the plenary meeting of the EU Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. Lara also participated in the meeting of the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) with patient and consumer groups on the 8th December in London.
On 28 November, Hannah attended the launch of the new "European Malaria Alliance". She also attended a presentation on "Control of Malaria : support of Commission and Global Fund to Fight AIDs, TB and Malaria" by Lieve Fransen, DG Development, European Commission and Vice-Chair of the board for the Global Fund.
Anne and Hannah participated in a Social Platform Working group on social policy.
Anne participated in a meeting in the World Health Organisation premises about a study on the European Community allocations to global health.
Anne and Lara participated in a roundtable dicussion organised in Moscow by HERA within the framework of the SEX-PARC project and gave a presentation about the participation of health NGOs in policy making.
Anne and Lara attended the final meeting of the DG Sanco Stakeholder Involvement Peer Review Group.
Anne attended a training on working with the media organised by the Social Platform.
Both Hannah and Lara attended the 8th Hendrik Brugmans Memorial Lecture on "Global Health, a Public Good", organised by the Madriaga European Foundation.
Hannah attended a meeting at ActionAid’s Brussels office, regarding the commissioning of a Study on EU Allocatons to Global Health. The study is to be funded by the European Network for Global Health, of which EPHA is a member, and GAVI.
Events that EPHA organised
On the 11th November, EPHA, in cooperation with ANME, organised an event on the situation of complementary and alternative medicine in Europe. Lara gave a presentation about the importance of advocating for health at EU level.
During the World Health Organisation European Region Ministerial Conference on Combating Obesity, EPHA organised two events. On the 14th November a pre-meeting of NGOs was prepared to coordinate efforts during the conference. On the 15th November a lunch session on marketing of unhealthy products to children was organised in cooperation with BEUC. EPHA also set up a stand during the conference where the NGO Newsletter was distributed.
The EPHA team organised a Study Visit for new EU Member States health and social NGOs, which took place in Brussels between 20 and 23 November.
Anne gave a presentation on "Advocating for Public Health at EU level", with an overview of the health priorities for 2007 at EU level and Lara presented the art of represeting health NGOs at European level.
EPHA organised a workshop on better regulation during the Social Platform annual conference entitled "Renewing the guiding principles of the European Union" in Brussels on 5 December 2006.
EPHA and BEUC organised a Health and Consumer Intergroup with addressed Mobile phones : roaming charges and radiation effects on health.
EPHA organised as well an Extraordinary General Assembly. Presentations, and more information will be uploaded shortly.
Meetings and presentations
Victoria, Anne and Hannah met with Hungarian representatives from the "Healthy Cities project", during a study visit in Brussels. Anne gave a presentation about the role of European networks in advocating for public health at EU level (attached).
Roxana attended the SPHERE Project partners meeting on 15 November, in Montreux and gave a presentation about EPHA’s role in the project.
