WHO Europe
EFNNMA and the WHO Regional Office for Europe have worked together since 1996, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding and a series of joint plans of action.
A four-year memorandum, twenty years in the making
On 29 February – 1 March 2016, EFNNMA held its 20th Anniversary Annual Meeting jointly with the WHO Regional Office for Europe. WHO/Europe and the Forum signed a four-year Memorandum of Understanding, with the Regional Director, Ms Zsuzsanna Jakab, and the Chair of the EFNNMA Steering Committee, Ms Valentina Sarkisova, putting their signatures to it. Dr Hans Kluge, Director of the Division of Health Systems and Public Health, represented the Regional Director at a ceremony held during EFNNMA's Steering Committee meeting on 29 February 2016.
The memorandum outlines a collaboration to implement the European strategic directions for strengthening nursing and midwifery towards Health 2020 goals (ESDNM) across the WHO European Region. EFNNMA continues to support WHO/Europe's work in promoting the ESDNM and developing good nursing and midwifery practice in the Region.
The agreement recognises the value of dialogue between EFNNMA and WHO/Europe, and the strength of joint action toward the Health 2020 goals. EFNNMA also serves as a unique bridge — connecting not only two of the largest professions in the health workforce, nursing and midwifery, but also national associations from both EU and non-EU countries across the Region.
Collaboration between EFNNMA and WHO/Europe began in 1996, with the shared goal of promoting health and better health care services — a partnership that marked its 20th anniversary in 2016.
Focus on developing nursing and midwifery professions
As part of this collaboration, EFNNMA and WHO/Europe contribute to and influence the debate on improving the health of European citizens and the quality of health care services, in line with the vision of Health 2020. This was a central point of discussion at the annual EFNNMA meeting on 1 March 2016, where members also discussed the European regional strategy on women's health. At a time when Europe faces austerity measures while working to scale up universal health coverage, nurses and midwives — through this collaboration — matter more than ever.
The partnership aims to promote the continuous development of the nursing and midwifery professions in every country in the Region, at every level of intervention: education, practice, management, research, and policy formulation. EFNNMA's network of national nursing and midwifery associations is mobilised to pursue this goal.