Nomination

UN City, Marmorvej 51 Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00 Email: [email protected] DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø Denmark

Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 Website: https://www.who.int/europe

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTÉ

WELTGESUNDHEITSORGANISATION ВСЕМИРНАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ЗДРАВООХРАНЕНИЯ

Date: 11 December 2024

Ms Helen Sõber

Adviser

European Union Affairs and International Co-

operation Department

Ministry of Social Affairs

Suur-Ameerika 1

10122 Tallinn

Estonia

REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE BUREAU RÉGIONAL DE L’EUROPE

REGIONALBÜRO FÜR EUROPA ЕВРОПЕЙСКОЕ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЕ БЮРО

Head office:

UN City, Marmorvej 51, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark

Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00; Fax: +45 45 33 70 01

Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.who.int/europe

Our reference: Notre référence: Unser Zeichen: См. наш номер:

Your reference: Votre référence: Ihr Zeichen: На Ваш номер:

Dear Ms Sõber,

Nomination for WHO/Europe Regional Technical Consultation on Advancing the Global

Implementation Research Agenda for Noncommunicable Diseases

We are pleased to inform you that the Special Initiative on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and

Innovation (SNI) of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, in collaboration with the Department of

Noncommunicable Diseases, Rehabilitation and Disability, and the Alliance for Health Policy and

Systems Research, WHO headquarters, is organizing a Regional Technical Consultation on

Advancing the Global Implementation Research Agenda for NCDs.

Implementation research is defined as the systematic approach to understanding and addressing

barriers to the effective and quality implementation of health interventions, strategies and policies. It

is highlighted in the WHO Implementation Roadmap 2023–2030 for the Global Action Plan for the

Prevention and Control of NCDs 2013–2020 and offers a real opportunity to accelerate progress

towards achieving the NCD global targets. The WHO Technical Advisory Group on NCD-related

Research and Innovation has recommended that an update be developed for the WHO’s global

research agenda for NCDs, with a renewed focus on implementation research. In response, WHO

commenced the global update exercise to define global implementation research priorities for NCDs

to support the adoption and implementation of NCD interventions.

The update of the research agenda includes a review of relevant literature and conducting a survey and

series of consultations with relevant stakeholders at global, regional and country levels throughout

2024 and 2025.

The WHO/Europe Regional Technical Consultation, which will be held online on 5 February 2025,

is a part of this broader global effort, aiming to encourage the WHO European Region to develop its

own specific research priorities, which at the same time will inform global ones. The consultation will

focus on identifying priority themes for implementation research on NCDs. The finalized global

research agenda and, therefore, the consultation will not cover research areas, such as discovery

science and NCD epidemiology.

Key objectives of the consultation include:

– 2 –

• discussing strategies for strengthening policy-relevant, system-level research for the equitable,

effective and quality delivery of NCD services;

• facilitating the integration of NCD research into policy and practice and advocating for the

adoption of locally relevant evidence;

• promoting implementation research on NCDs to inform regional and country-specific research

priority setting; and

• exploring approaches to build research capacity on NCDs.

We kindly invite you to nominate four country representatives to participate in the consultation,

including (one representative from each bullet below):

• a national NCD focal point;

• researchers involved with health systems and implementation research on NCDs;

• policy-makers, health system planners and NCD services implementers at the national or sub-

national level; and

• civil society organizations.

Nominees should have experience and knowledge in one or more of the following topics as they

relate to NCDs: health policy and systems research, primary health care, universal health coverage,

health system strengthening, social and commercial determinants of health, public health, political

science, international/public health law, governance, and human rights.

Kindly provide the names, official positions and titles, and email addresses of the proposed nominees

who will join the Regional Technical Consultation. We request this information at your earliest

convenience and no later than 8 January 2025.

To facilitate the nomination process, we kindly request that your response be addressed to Dr Kremlin

Wickramasinghe, Regional Adviser for Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, Special Initiative on

NCDs and Innovation ([email protected]), with a copy to Alena Tokareva, Consultant,

Special Initiative on NCDs and Innovation ([email protected]).

We look forward to receiving your nominations.

Sincerely yours,

Copy for information to:

Ms Agne Nettan-Sepp, Head, European Union Affairs and International Co-operation Department, Ministry of

Social Affairs, Suur-Ameerika 1, 10129 Tallinn, Estonia

H.E. Ms Riia Salsa-Audiffren, Ambassador Representative of the Republic of Estonia, 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 Andre Pung, 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

Dr Gauden Galea

Strategic Advisor to the Regional Director

Special Initiative on NCDs and Innovation

WHO Regional Office for Europe

– 3 –

UN City, Marmorvej 51 Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00 Email: [email protected] DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø Denmark

Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 Website: https://www.who.int/europe

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTÉ

WELTGESUNDHEITSORGANISATION ВСЕМИРНАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ЗДРАВООХРАНЕНИЯ

Date: 11 December 2024

Ms Helen Sõber

Adviser

European Union Affairs and International Co-

operation Department

Ministry of Social Affairs

Suur-Ameerika 1

10122 Tallinn

Estonia

REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE BUREAU RÉGIONAL DE L’EUROPE

REGIONALBÜRO FÜR EUROPA ЕВРОПЕЙСКОЕ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЕ БЮРО

Head office:

UN City, Marmorvej 51, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark

Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00; Fax: +45 45 33 70 01

Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.who.int/europe

Our reference: Notre référence: Unser Zeichen: См. наш номер:

Your reference: Votre référence: Ihr Zeichen: На Ваш номер:

Dear Ms Sõber,

Nomination for WHO/Europe Regional Technical Consultation on Advancing the Global

Implementation Research Agenda for Noncommunicable Diseases

We are pleased to inform you that the Special Initiative on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and

Innovation (SNI) of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, in collaboration with the Department of

Noncommunicable Diseases, Rehabilitation and Disability, and the Alliance for Health Policy and

Systems Research, WHO headquarters, is organizing a Regional Technical Consultation on

Advancing the Global Implementation Research Agenda for NCDs.

Implementation research is defined as the systematic approach to understanding and addressing

barriers to the effective and quality implementation of health interventions, strategies and policies. It

is highlighted in the WHO Implementation Roadmap 2023–2030 for the Global Action Plan for the

Prevention and Control of NCDs 2013–2020 and offers a real opportunity to accelerate progress

towards achieving the NCD global targets. The WHO Technical Advisory Group on NCD-related

Research and Innovation has recommended that an update be developed for the WHO’s global

research agenda for NCDs, with a renewed focus on implementation research. In response, WHO

commenced the global update exercise to define global implementation research priorities for NCDs

to support the adoption and implementation of NCD interventions.

The update of the research agenda includes a review of relevant literature and conducting a survey and

series of consultations with relevant stakeholders at global, regional and country levels throughout

2024 and 2025.

The WHO/Europe Regional Technical Consultation, which will be held online on 5 February 2025,

is a part of this broader global effort, aiming to encourage the WHO European Region to develop its

own specific research priorities, which at the same time will inform global ones. The consultation will

focus on identifying priority themes for implementation research on NCDs. The finalized global

research agenda and, therefore, the consultation will not cover research areas, such as discovery

science and NCD epidemiology.

Key objectives of the consultation include:

– 2 –

• discussing strategies for strengthening policy-relevant, system-level research for the equitable,

effective and quality delivery of NCD services;

• facilitating the integration of NCD research into policy and practice and advocating for the

adoption of locally relevant evidence;

• promoting implementation research on NCDs to inform regional and country-specific research

priority setting; and

• exploring approaches to build research capacity on NCDs.

We kindly invite you to nominate four country representatives to participate in the consultation,

including (one representative from each bullet below):

• a national NCD focal point;

• researchers involved with health systems and implementation research on NCDs;

• policy-makers, health system planners and NCD services implementers at the national or sub-

national level; and

• civil society organizations.

Nominees should have experience and knowledge in one or more of the following topics as they

relate to NCDs: health policy and systems research, primary health care, universal health coverage,

health system strengthening, social and commercial determinants of health, public health, political

science, international/public health law, governance, and human rights.

Kindly provide the names, official positions and titles, and email addresses of the proposed nominees

who will join the Regional Technical Consultation. We request this information at your earliest

convenience and no later than 8 January 2025.

To facilitate the nomination process, we kindly request that your response be addressed to Dr Kremlin

Wickramasinghe, Regional Adviser for Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, Special Initiative on

NCDs and Innovation ([email protected]), with a copy to Alena Tokareva, Consultant,

Special Initiative on NCDs and Innovation ([email protected]).

We look forward to receiving your nominations.

Sincerely yours,

Copy for information to:

Ms Agne Nettan-Sepp, Head, European Union Affairs and International Co-operation Department, Ministry of

Social Affairs, Suur-Ameerika 1, 10129 Tallinn, Estonia

H.E. Ms Riia Salsa-Audiffren, Ambassador Representative of the Republic of Estonia, 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 Andre Pung, 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

Dr Gauden Galea

Strategic Advisor to the Regional Director

Special Initiative on NCDs and Innovation

WHO Regional Office for Europe

– 3 –