Experts of the WHO Regional Office held a joint meeting with the representatives of the Committee on Health, Labour and Social Welfare and Ombudsman of Montenegro.

The meeting was attended by the experts of the WHO Regional Office Mr Graham Robertson with his associate, Ombudsman of Montenegro Mr Šućko Baković with his associates, Chairperson of the Committee on Health, Labour and Social Welfare Mr Zoran Jelić with his associates, and Head of WHO Office in Montenegro Ms Mina Brajović.

In accordance with the signed Two-Year Agreement of Cooperation for 2012-2013 between Montenegro and World Health Organisation, the activities focused on policy on finance in health care as important recommendations of providing universal health care are implemented, and especially those focused on mitigation of negative effects of financial crisis in the health sector and providing financial arrangements harmonised with priorities of health care and public health.

The meeting was aimed at raising awareness on social determinants of health and examining current relations and coordinated efforts between the health care sector and other sectors with a view to reduce social inequalities, implement measures of inclusive growth and promote the health level of population.

The expert of WHO Regional Office said that he was a director in part of the healthcare system and that he used to work on promotion of health care. Now he is retired and all he does concerns health care policy. He pointed out that he was focused on helping and elaboration of Strategy for Non-Communicable Diseases. He said that the goal of the mission was to examine the current progress, challenges and opportunities to strengthen the institutional capacity in sectors and society, in order to determine the social and economic factors of health in health care and thus contribute to fair and sustainable development in Montenegro. He asked the people present to explain to him what their engagement when it comes to the non-communicable diseases looked like, and whether it was only in the monitoring stage.

Ombudsman of Montenegro Mr Šućko Baković said that they did not participate in the drafting of the strategy, and that their arrangement consisted only of monitoring, in part of observation of human rights and implementation of health care.

Chairperson of the Committee on Health, Labour and Social Welfare Mr Zoran Jelić said that the implementation of this Strategy was an important mission, as well as drafting of action plans and laws. He pointed out that the laws would need to be drafted through the Strategy, so as to implement those laws in practice. The Chairman of the Committee proposed an urgent calling for theme meeting of the Committee on Health, Labour and Social Welfare, so that the Parliament of Montenegro could get acquainted with the WHO mission. Theme meeting may also include the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms, as well as the Committee on Education, Science, Culture and Sports.