Health 2020 - achieving health and development in today's Europe.

AIM: To present contemporary major public health challenges and comprehensive policy framework and strategic vision of the "Health 2020" for improving population health and well-being in Europe.METHODS: Retrospective study based on the available indicators of the health status of the population in Europe, social determinants of health and health-related behavior, health systems and public health services, and analysis of the WHO policy documents, reports and commitments leading to the new coherent approach and strategic vision "Health 2020".RESULTS: The 21st-century health landscape is shaped by growing global, regional and local interdependence and an increasingly complex array of interlinking factors that influence health and well-being. Most of today’s major public health challenges, including non communicable diseases, antimicrobial resistance, health inequalities and the health effects of austerity measures in some countries, cannot be addressed effectively without inter sectoral and coordinated action at supranational, national and local levels. The 53 countries of the WHO European Region developed and adopted a European policy framework and strategy for the 21st century (Health 2020) as a common, evidence-informed policy framework to support and encourage coordinated action by policy-makers at all levels and in all sectors to improve population health and well-being.CONCLUSION: This article presents the development process of Health 2020 and its main strategic goals, objectives and content. Further, it describes what is needed to successfully implement Health 2020 in countries and how WHO can provide technical assistance to countries that embark on developing health policy aligned with the Health 2020 policy framework. The development and implementation of Health 2020 is a powerful vehicle for concerted inter-sectoral action across the WHO European Region for improving health and well-being of present and future generations. Successful implementation of Health 2020 needs providing technical assistance by WHO to the countries to embark on developing health policy aligned with the Health 2020 policy framework.