Meeting with WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin met with World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge.
“We appreciate our cooperation with the WHO and the WHO regional office for Europe. Russia shares the strategic goals of the WHO and consistently supports its leading role in international cooperation on health protection and sanitary epidemiological wellbeing,” Mikhail Mishustin said in his opening remarks.
The Prime Minister described the WHO’s response to the coronavirus pandemic as timely, professional and appropriate. “We attach much importance to the WHO’s coordinating role to overcome the consequences of the coronavirus and its efforts to ensure the effective functioning of national health systems,” Mr Mishustin emphasised.
Hans Kluge’s visit to Russia is his first since being appointed WHO Regional Director for Europe in February 2020.
“I am very pleased to meet you,” Mr Kluge said to Mr Mishustin.
Mr Kluge asked Mr Mishustin to convey his gratitude to President of Russia Vladimir Putin for voicing support of the WHO in his address to the 75th session of the UN General Assembly on 22 September.
“This was a great statement. Such strong support means a lot for us. Please tell the President: you have a loyal friend in WHO Regional Office for Europe in Copenhagen,” Mr Kluge pointed out.
Mr Kluge emphasised the importance of expanding cooperation with Russia at the national, regional and global levels. He made a special note of the need to spread the Russian experience in developing the Sputink V vaccine against the coronavirus and countering non-infectious diseases.
