Health ministers and high-level delegates from the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region, as well as representatives of partner organizations and civil society, will meet in Astana, Kazakhstan, on 24–26 October 2023 for the 73rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe (RC73), according to the official website of the organization.

In 2023, WHO marks its 75th anniversary, 45 years since the signing of the historic Alma-Ata Declaration on primary health care (PHC), and the mid-point of the European Programme of Work (EPW) 2020–2025 – “United Action for Better Health in Europe”. RC73 will therefore be an opportunity for delegates to reflect on the current state of health and well-being across the Region, take stock of progress in delivering the EPW, celebrate public health milestones over the past 75 years, and discuss what is needed to address current and future challenges.

The meeting will be hosted by the Government of Kazakhstan, under the patronage of His Excellency Mr Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan.

Several public health plans will be considered and put forward for endorsement during the proceedings, including an action plan for refugee and migrant health for 2023¬–2030, a framework for action on the health and care workforce for 2023–2028, and a roadmap on antimicrobial resistance for 2023–2030.

During the session, delegates will be provided with an update on health emergencies in the Region and consulted on the development of the Preparedness 2.0 strategy and action plan, as well as a regional action plan to strengthen the Emergency Medical Teams initiative.

Particular focus will also be on governance issues, including the current and future programme budgets. The first-ever Topline Accountability Report will be presented, providing an overview of how WHO/Europe is resourced and managed, and what results have been achieved.

The official programme for RC73 will run for 3 days. All documentation will be posted on this website. The session will be live-streamed, and real-time coverage will be shared on WHO/Europe’s social media channels using #RC73Astana.

On 23 October, prior to the Regional Committee session, WHO/Europe, the Government of Kazakhstan and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will host the international meeting “Primary health care policy and practice: implementing for better results”. Marking the 45th anniversary of the Declaration of Alma-Ata (1978) and the 5th anniversary of the Declaration of Astana (2018), the meeting will bring together global partners to take stock of progress in advancing PHC and consider key policies and practices needed in the coming decade to build PHC-led health systems.