Health Ministry, UNICEF sign agreement to promote family and child health

Greece’s Ministry of Health and UNICEF signed a programme agreement on Thursday for the implementation of the programme “Promotion of family and child health”.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, Alternate Health Minister Irini Agapidaki and UNICEF Representative in Greece Ghassan Khalil.

The program, signed in the framework of the implementation of the National Public Health Prevention Programme “Spyros Doxiadis”, is funded by the European Union’s NextGenerationEU program and the “Greece 2.0” Strategic Plan.

It will be implemented by the Health Ministry in collaboration with UNICEF Hellas, which will provide technical support based on its international experience and expertise. Coordinating bodies and strategic partners, including pediatric societies and pediatricians’ associations will also contribute know-how, as will academia, civil society organizations and research centers.

“Young people’s mental health is a multi-dimensional challenge that requires collaboration between family, school and state to effectively manage and support it,” Minister Georgiadis said. “Information and education from an early age can help young people to recognize and manage their feelings. In this context, the programmatic agreement between the Ministry of Health and UNICEF is a very important initiative that focuses precisely on developing educational programmes through an integrated approach to promote family and child health at the national level. ”

The agreement is “a great opportunity for us to implement practices and interventions that have proven to be effective internationally,” Alternate Minister Agapidaki said, adding, “At the heart of this effort is our commitment to create a safe and supportive environment for every child and family in Greece.”

UNICEF Hellas chief Khalil noted that this is not the first partnership of the UN organization with the Ministry of Health, but this time the program means to focus on “effective public health interventions that address a series of factors that affect children’s mental health in the country.”

The program will implement actions targeting three groups: children – by supporting pediatricians in screening and referral practices for developmental issues; adolescent girls – by promoting period destigmatization; and the 17-24 age group – addressing the phenomenon of self-destructive behaviour or violence and aggression towards others.