National Health Promotion Day in Moldova

Key national speakers have been joined by speakers from several UK-based institutions: the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the Institute for Sport and Physical Activity Research, and the Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London.

Ensuring the event remained highly practical in content, participants - who included primary health and social care providers and local council members from several villages in the 10 districts supported by the Healthy Life Project (Viață Sănătoasă Project) - directly interacted with national and international experts. They also spent time directly at the event on developing their own district level action plans for Behaviour Change Communication in a workshop.

Florence Sécula, Swiss TPH, who facilitated the group work during the workshop explained that Moldova is currently facing a high burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and is mobilizing its efforts to strengthen Family Medicine-oriented Primary Health Care including also social care. Sécula also presented on how Moldova actively involves its citizens in the reduction of NCD-related risk factors: "Engaging the general public, finding local health champions and increasing citizens' levels of health literacy will be critical pillars for the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda".

The goal of the Healthy Life Project is to reduce NCD-related morbidity and mortality in the country, including through facilitating the adoption of evidence-based approaches to health promotion, and thus contribute to the improvement and wellbeing of the Moldovan population, especially in rural areas. The Healthy Life Project of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is implemented by Swiss TPH.