The ‘Women: Working Together for a Healthy Society. Collaboration without Borders’ strategic session was held on the sidelines of the Eurasian Women’s Forum. The session was organized by the Council of the Eurasian Women’s Forum ‘Women for a Healthy Society’ project.

Modern healthcare is focused on innovative development that can create more opportunities to combat life-threatening diseases and increase life expectancy. The ability of healthcare systems everywhere to reliably protect the health and well-being of citizens and respond appropriately to challenges as they arise depends on how effectively mechanisms of international cooperation are created in the processes of integrating innovative technologies and unique advanced approaches to establish flexible and sustainable healthcare systems.

The session was moderated by Russia 24 Presenter and Doctor TV Editor-in-Chief Evelina Zakamskaya.

Also participating in the session were Head of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of the Russian Federation Veronika Skvortsova, Deputy Minister of Health of the Russian Federation Evgenia Kotova, Commissioner for Planning, Financing and Policy of the Ministry of Health of Uganda Sarah Baikika, Chief of the Department of Health Facilities Regulation of the National Health Regulatory Authority of Bahrain Hesa Sabah Al Doseri, Director of the National Medical Research Center for Therapy and Preventive Medicine of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Chief Visiting Specialist in Therapy and General Medical Practice of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, and RAS Academician Oksana Drapkina, Roscongress Foundation First Deputy CEO for Development and Director of the Healthcare Directorate Anastasia Stolkova, and Head of Regional Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross for the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus Boris Michel.

“If we are to develop sustainably and ensure the well-being of our people, we must have international cooperation on issues affecting health. We can address global health challenges, strengthen national health systems, and improve quality of life if we work together with the international community, engage in joint initiatives, and share best practices. Women play a special role in this process and promote innovative approaches and equal access to health services for everyone, often as leaders, activists, and health enthusiasts,” Head of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of the Russian Federation Veronika Skvortsova said.

Experts discussed how to unite the international community for the sake of preserving the health of the nations, the political solutions that could make such cooperation possible, where bridges of long-term mutually beneficial cooperation could be built, how to establish mechanisms of cooperation to share innovation between countries of good will, what medical services seemed most promising for the development of medical tourism, what successful practices arising from their implementation could serve as an opportunity for international cooperation, what role women ought to play in improving global health policies, and how women in the healthcare made society in Russia and abroad healthier. In the course of the discussion, participants also shared their experience of successful practices for achieving national well-being.