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Back WHO – World Health Organization

WHO is a specialized intergovernmental organization of system of United Nations Organization (UNO) dealing with the topic of health which was founded on 7 April 1948.
We celebrate 7th April as a World Health Day.

Seat of WHO is in Geneva, seat of Regional Office for Europe is in Copenhagen and WHO office in the Slovak Republic is located in Bratislava.

Since 9 November 2006, Dr. Margaret Chan is Director-General of WHO. Dr. Margaret Chan was reelected for another 5-years term in May 2012 (www.who.int).

Since 1 February 2010, Regional Office for Europe (EURO) is led by regional director Zsuzsanna Jakab (www.euro.who.int). In September 2014, Mrs. Zsuzsanna Jakab was reelected for another 5-years term as regional director for WHO – Europe.

WHO office in Slovakia is led by director MUDr. Darina Sedláková, MPH (www.who.sk).

Between the main priorities of WHO at the time of its foundation in 1948 were topics such as malaria, health of children and women, TBC, sexually transmitted diseases, nutrition and hygiene of environment. Many of these topics are actual also at present time.

Today, World Health Organization in European region helps to promote and develop national health policies, health systems and public health programs, with the aim to promote, protect and improve health of population and mutually prevent and overcome possible health threats.


In framework of cooperation with World Health Organization, Public Health Authority is a contact place responsible for evaluation, sending and receiving of information concerning public health threats (further only "contact place"), which:

  1. is nonstop available for communication with contact places of World Health Organization,
  2. evaluates events originated in territory of the Slovak Republic and which may pose public health threat,
  3. informs World Health Organization about events according to second point up to 24 hours after their evaluation and realized measures for preclusion of spread of disease or contamination.

Biennial Collaborative Agreement between the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic and the Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization for the years 2014 - 2015

Ministry of Health of the SR concluded for the years 2014 – 2015 Biennial Collaborative Agreement (BCA) with the Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization.

In framework of this BCA for the years 2014-2015 Public Health Authority of the Slovak Republic secures selected priorities and tasks regarding:

  • the area of mental health with regard to achieving of basic goals of the National action plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol,
  • prevention of violence and unintentional injuries,
  • promotion of goals and tasks in the area of nutrition in accordance with Vienna declaration and the new Strategy for foodstuffs and nutrition of WHO,
  • promotion of active healthy ageing, healthy life style and overall health of seniors,
  • social determinants of health with regard to vulnerable population groups.

Representatives of Public Health Authority of the SR and representatives of regional public health authorities act as national coordinators of the SR in WHO structures in following areas:

  • communicable diseases
  • salmonella, polio
  • International health regulations (IHR)
  • immunization program
  • food safety - nutrition
  • promotion of physical activity
  • tobacco policy
  • central information system for infectious diseases
  • living environment and health
  • occupational medicine
  • radiation threats
  • health protection against ionizing radiation