Minister of Health Michalis Hadjipantela and WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge will sign on Thursday in Cyprus a joint statement of intent for the operation of a WHO regional office in Larnaca, Konstantinos Athanasiou, Health Ministry’s communication officer, told CNA.
Athanasiou said that the Ministry’s aim is for the office to open before the end of the year in Larnaca.
He added that among other things, the office will aim to strengthen public health and upgrade the readiness for addressing emerging and epidemic-prone infectious diseases and will be the key point of reference for transnational cooperation in the field of public health.
The WHO office in Cyprus will be staffed by Cypriot experts, but also by two experts from WHO.
Meanwhile, Athanasiou said that Kluge will also participate in a conference that will take place in Limassol on the 7th of October focusing on the next day of the pandemic.
The conference will also be attended by Cypriot EU Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakides and representatives of the ECDC and WHO.