Events

MINSK, 27 August (BelTA) - The European Union invites Belarus to implement joint infectious disease control and prevention projects, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis told the media in Minsk on 27 August. The commissioner met with the senior officials of the Healthcare Ministry, BelTA has learned.

These may be the projects, for example, to pormote vaccination, to combat tuberculosis, antibiotic resistance.

During the meeting the European delegation invited the Belarusian side to study the programs that have already been developed and are being implemented in the EU. “Belarus can be an observer or a participant. Of course, more detailed background studies are required," said Vytenis Andriukaitis.

Public health and food safety are in focus during the visit. The European commissioner said that the large consumption of antibiotics is a challenge for science, healthcare and agriculture today and called on the neighboring countries to formulate common approaches to address this problem.

The suggestions made during the meeting will be discussed further, said Deputy Healthcare Minister, Chief State Sanitary Doctor Natalia Zhukova. “We are ready to take part in the projects that may be useful for public health system,” she said. Noncommunicable disease prevention and control, the Green Cities movement are also of interest for Belarus.