WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTÉ
Date: 25 January 2023
WELTGESUNDHEITSORGANISATION
ВСЕМИРНАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ЗДРАВООХРАНЕНИЯ
Ms Elen Ohov
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE Adviser
BUREAU RÉGIONAL DE L’EUROPE European Union Affairs and International Co-
REGIONALBÜRO FÜR EUROPA
ЕВРОПЕЙСКОЕ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЕ БЮРО operation Department
Ministry of Social Affairs
Head office:
UN City, Marmorvej 51,
Suur-Ameerika 1
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark 10122 Tallinn
Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00; Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 Estonia
Email:
[email protected]
Website: https://www.who.int/europe
Dear Ms Ohov,
Strengthening Ear and Eye Care in the WHO European Region
Technical briefings
2 March 2023 10:30–12:00 CET and 9 March 2023 10:30–12:00 CET
The WHO Regional Office for Europe is honoured to host two regional virtual technical briefings, to
which I have the pleasure of inviting two nominated representatives from your country. Please find
the scope and purpose of the event, as well as the provisional programme, attached. The first briefing,
focusing on Ear and Hearing Care, will take place on Thursday 2 March 2023 from 10:30 to 12:00
Central European Time. The second briefing, focusing on Eye and Vision Care, will take place on
Thursday 9 March 2023 from 10:30 to 12:00 Central European Time.
The representatives should be officials from the ministries leading the ear and eye care agenda and
who have the capacity to represent their organization and report back.
The working language will be English, with simultaneous Russian interpretation provided.
Kindly let us have your up to two nominations, giving their names, job titles,
organizations/departments and email addresses, at your earliest convenience and no later than 6
February 2023. You can elect to nominate the same persons, or different persons, to each of the two
briefings. We shall then communicate with them directly and provide them with a Zoom link and the
necessary documentation and administrative information in good time.
Mr Satish Mishra is responsible for this activity and it would be appreciated if you would address your
reply to him at
[email protected] with
[email protected] in copy.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Natasha Azzopardi Muscat
Director, Division of Country Health Policies and Systems
UN City, Marmorvej 51 Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00 Email:
[email protected]
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 Website: https://www.who.int/europe
Denmark
Encls:
Scope and purpose
Provisional programmes (2, one for each technical briefing)
Copy for information to:
Ms Triin Uusberg, Head, European Union Affairs and International Co-operation Department, Ministry of
Social Affairs, Suur-Ameerika 1, 10129 Tallinn, Estonia
H.E. Ms Katrin Saarsalu-Layachi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative,
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Estonia to the United Nations Office and other international
organizations in Geneva, Chemin du Petit-Saconnex 28A, CH-1209 Genève, Switzerland
H.E. Mr William Mart Laanemäe, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Republic of
Estonia, Frederiksgade 19, 4th floor, 1265 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Ms Kristina Köhler, Liaison Officer, WHO Country Office, Estonia, Paldiski Road 81, 10617 Tallinn, Estonia
–2–
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTÉ
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE BUREAU RÉGIONAL DE L'EUROPE
WELTGESUNDHEITSORGANISATION ВСЕМИРНАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ЗДРАВООХРАНЕНИЯ
REGIONALBÜRO FÜR EUROPA ЕВРОПЕЙСКОЕ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЕ БЮРО
Strengthening Ear and Hearing Care in the WHO European Region /1
Technical briefing
2 March 2023 10:30–12:00 CET 19 January 2023
Original: English
Provisional programme
10:30–10:40 Welcome and introduction
10:40–11:00 The prevalence and impact of hearing loss and deafness
11:00–11:30 Integrated people-centred ear and hearing care -
Member State initiatives
11:30–11:45 Support available from WHO, including WHO tools
11:45–12:00 Questions and Answers
Closure
Provisional programme - Page 1 of 1
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTÉ
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE BUREAU RÉGIONAL DE L'EUROPE
WELTGESUNDHEITSORGANISATION ВСЕМИРНАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ЗДРАВООХРАНЕНИЯ
REGIONALBÜRO FÜR EUROPA ЕВРОПЕЙСКОЕ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЕ БЮРО
Strengthening Eye and Ear Care in the WHO European Region /1
Technical briefings
2 March 2023 10:30–12:00 CET and 9 March 2023 10:30–12:00 CET 19 January 2023
Original: English
Scope and purpose
Background:
Vision and hearing loss are extremely common. In the WHO European Region approximately 90 million
people have vision impairment or blindness and 190 million people have hearing loss or deafness.
Sight is the sense with which we perceive our surroundings and its rich colors, shapes and patterns. Eye
conditions common in the Region include refractive errors such as myopia, cataracts, age-related
macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. Uncorrected refractive errors and cataracts
are the leading causes of vision impairment in the Region.
Hearing is the sense with which we perceive the sounds around us, including the voices of people we
exchange with. Factors that contribute to hearing loss and deafness in the Region include prenatal
infections, birth complications, middle ear infections, exposure to loud noise, medication that damage
the hearing system and age-related changes.
The extent to which vision impairment and hearing loss impact people’s lives depends on whether they
are addressed effectively, and the extent to which the environment is suited and responsive to the
needs of people with sensory impairments. Vision and hearing interventions are some of the most cost-
effective that exist, yet they are too frequently difficult to access and poorly integrated into health
services.
The impact of vision and hearing loss is also influenced by other co-existing conditions. Dual sensory loss
(deafblindness) affects 0.2–2% of the global population.
Date and time:
Two 90-minute briefings will be held virtually.
The first briefing, focusing on Ear and Hearing Care, will take place on Thursday 2 March 2023 from
10:30 to 12:00 Central European Time.
The second briefing, focusing on Eye and Vision Care, will take place on Thursday 9 March 2023 from
10:30 to 12:00 Central European Time.
Aim:
The briefings will introduce the benefits of integrated people-centred ear and eye care, and how WHO
supports Member States in strengthening eye and ear care into their health systems.
Objectives:
To describe the prevalence of eye and ear conditions and their impact
To introduce the WHO tools and support available to integrate people-centred ear and eye care
into national health systems
Scope and purpose - Page 1 of 2
Participants:
Participants will include representatives from relevant ministries of WHO European Region Member
States, including health and social affairs ministries. Each Member State is invited to nominate up to two
participants per briefing. Each Member State can elect to nominate the same participants, or different
participants, to each of the two briefings.
Languages of the briefing:
The working language will be English, with simultaneous Russian interpretation provided. Preparatory
documents will be available in English and Russian.
Scope and purpose - Page 2 of 2
Saatja: euroeareye <
[email protected]>
Saadetud: 25.01.2023 12:41
Adressaat: <"Elen Ohov">
Koopia: <"Triin Uusberg">; <"SM Info">; Ms K. Saarsalu-Layachi
<
[email protected]>; <
[email protected]>; Kaisa.Mitt-Alvarez
<
[email protected]>; <
[email protected]>;
<
[email protected]>; KÖHLER, Kristina <
[email protected]>
Teema: EST: Strengthening Ear and Eye Care in the WHO European Region -
Technical briefings 2 March and 9 March 2023
Dear National Counterpart,
Please find attached a letter requesting nominations to the above two
virtual events, kindly noting that we would appreciate receipt of
nominations no later than 6 February 2023.
Yours sincerely,
Health Workforce and Service Delivery Programme
WHO Regional Office for Europe
Copenhagen, Denmark
Web:
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WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTÉ
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE BUREAU RÉGIONAL DE L'EUROPE
WELTGESUNDHEITSORGANISATION ВСЕМИРНАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ЗДРАВООХРАНЕНИЯ
REGIONALBÜRO FÜR EUROPA ЕВРОПЕЙСКОЕ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЕ БЮРО
Strengthening Eye and Vision Care in the WHO European Region /1
Technical briefing
9 March 2023 10:30–12:00 CET 19 January 2023
Original: English
Provisional programme
10:30–10:40 Welcome and introduction
10:40–10:50 The prevalence and impact of vision impairment and blindness
10:50–11:00 Integrated people-centred eye and vision care -
Member State initiatives
11:00–11:35 Support available from WHO, including the WHO Eye care in health
systems: guide for action and related tools
11:35–12:00 Questions and Answers
Closure
Provisional programme - Page 1 of 1