The Fourth Swiss Russian Health Forum took place in Moscow on September 11-12 with the aim of encouraging communication and knowledge-sharing between Swiss and Russian public health stakeholders on issues of common concern. The conference met to discuss the theme of “Investing in Nations: Healthy Future and Sustainable Demographic Development” with participants from the sectors of health policy, service delivery, research, pharma, and civil society.
GHP Director, Ilona Kickbusch, was one of the experts selected for the Swiss-Russian Round Table on Global Health Diplomacy as well as the panel discussion "Health Technology Transfer: From Research and Innovation to Market and Patient", together with representatives from policy, industry and academia from both countries.
Under the theme of sustainable demographic development, the Forum developed a 2020 Strategy with an increased focus on sharing Swiss experience with Russian colleagues, especially on the role of the private sector, health insurance, treatment standards and technological innovation in health care. The strategy also seeks to address demographic trends in both countries, including declining fertility rates and an ageing population, which in countries of the former USSR is compounded by high adult mortality rates and an insufficiently developed health system. The Forum strategy therefore is to encourage technical and scientific cooperation between relevant stakeholders in both countries to address gaps in health programming and systems in order to improve access to quality health services.
The Strategy outlines future planned activity under Research, Practice and Products for a Positive Demographic Development, including: Promoting the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of non-communicable diseases; enhancing reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health; and strengthening communicable disease surveillance and control. With the continued development of joint scientific exchange and cooperation, as well as ongoing interaction, the Forum intends to strengthen health systems and improve the health of citizens in both Switzerland and Russia.