(ANSA) - TRIESTE, 28 SET - "In recent years, the collaboration between the Central European Initiative (CEI) and the WHO Europe Office has developed to a very advanced level.

Today's event can begin a new phase, leading us to design and implement a real CEI Health Agenda, a CEI agenda on health issues. A tool that can support national health systems in different countries to keep up with the most up-to-date recommendations from the scientific and international community.

This plan may also help strengthen the presence of the health issues in diplomatic relations." CEI Secretary-General Roberto Antonione said, speaking before more than sixty delegates from WHO in Trieste these days for the joint CEI-WHO event focusing on health and health systems strengthening.

The goal of the meeting, which runs until Friday, is to strengthen the collaboration among the Western Balkans to rethink traditional models of primary health care service delivery.

"CEI - said Gundo Weiler, director of WHO Europe's Country Support and Health Emergencies Division - is a significant platform for political dialogue for WHO Europe, proven, for example, by its support for the implementation of the 'Who Roadmap for Health and Wellbeing in Western Balkans 2021-2025.' Particularly in the Western Balkans, it is crucial to bridge the gap between EU and non-EU member countries by promoting health as a key issue for cooperation across borders." (ANSA).