The meeting has also talked over a three-day WHO conference on public health, which has started in Vilnius today. It is the first conference of this level in Lithuania: more than 400 participants from 53 countries have arrived in Vilnius.
"While celebrating the 24th anniversary of Lithuania's membership, we are glad that the sixty-fifth session of WHO's Regional Committee for Europe takes place in Vilnius. It is the first event of this rank in our country, and I am confident that experts from around the world will get interested in our achievements", said Prime Minister Butkevičius.
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan has thanked the Prime Minister for Lithuania's efforts in organising the high-level conference, and has stressed that the WHO welcomes health policy pursued by Lithuania's Government. The WHO Director-General has also welcomed Lithuania's position of solidarity with other European Union member states in dealing with refugees.
In the meeting, Prime Minister Butkevičius has asked the WHO Director-General to devote more attention to Ukraine and help it strengthen its health system, especially in the military conflict zone.
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan has arrived in Vilnius to take part in the sixty-fifth session of WHO's Regional Committee for Europe. The WHO encompasses six regions; there are 194 countries in total, and 53 European countries are members of the Regional Committee for Europe.
Once a year, the WHO holds the World Health Assembly. Following its meeting, six regions convene into separate conferences that draw guidelines for the implementation of decisions taken by the World Health Assembly. It has been decided to hold a session of the Regional Committee for Europe in Vilnius this year.
