WHO and Italy strengthen partnership on health systems of the future at Italian Senate

WHO/Europe joined senior Italian policy-makers, parliamentarians and leaders in the Italian Senate on 14 January 2026 for a special gathering that, for the first time, brought together representatives from all political parties in a joint health forum. The event, entitled "Health forward - a future we build together", marked a significant step in the strategic partnership between Italy and WHO towards shaping healthier, more resilient societies across the European Region.

© Senato della Repubblica Italiana

Organized by the Senate's Social Affairs and Health Committee and the WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development (the Venice Office), the event saw the participation of key Italian policy-makers, including Senate President Ignazio La Russa and Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci, as well as WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge.

© Senato della Repubblica Italiana

At the heart of the gathering was an in-depth discussion of some of the key health challenges facing Italy and the Region at the moment - prevention, mental health, climate change, chronic disease and growing fragility across all stages of life. The Venice Office showcased how investment-for-health approaches can help translate political commitment into concrete action.

"Complex challenges require shared responses," Dr Kluge said when highlighting the Region's current health realities, which include: an ageing population - particularly in Italy, with over 13 million people aged over 65; rising mental health needs, affecting more than 110 million people in the Region; and the growing impact of climate change and new epidemics.

Dr Kluge went on to add that evidence and innovation must be converted into concrete investments and political decisions. The second European Programme of Work 2026-2030 (EPW2), co-created with all Member States, provides a shared framework to navigate these challenges, he said.

Italian alignment with WHO priorities and ongoing partnership with the Venice Office

Chairing the day's events, Senator Francesco Zaffini confirmed Italy's alignment with WHO priorities, highlighting new commitments from 2026 to strengthen prevention and implement the National Mental Health Action Plan 2025-2030, based on the One Mental Health approach. The plan integrates health, education, work and environment, with dedicated funding to reinforce community services and the health workforce.

For over 2 decades, Italy has been home to one of WHO/Europe's specialized offices, the WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development. Thanks to strong support from and collaboration with the Veneto Region and the national government, the Venice Office has been leading global work on a range of areas at the intersection between health, development, finance and economics.

"We continue to see growing interest in promoting health and prevention across the Region, but countries need practical solutions to support them with the design, financing and implementation of policies across all sectors - not just health," said Chris Brown, Head of the Venice Office.

"We are pleased to see the Venice Office now become home to one of the 5 EPW2 strategic priorities - 'ageing is living, working for a lifetime of health and well-being'," said Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, WHO/Europe's Director of Health Systems. "And we are very much looking forward to working with our partners and stakeholders in Italy and across the Region to make this a reality."

On the ageing agenda, Dr Azzopardi-Muscat underscored the importance of working across sectors, beyond health.

"Ageing in good health doesn't happen by chance, and doesn't only depend on health," she explained. "It depends on how we design health systems, care services and the social environments people live in. Our new strategy focuses on creating these conditions."

Presenting the Venice Office's work on health, well-being and fragility in the European Region and Italy - showing how robust, disaggregated data can guide fairer policies and better allocation of resources - Ms Brown also underscored how the specialized office in Venice can support Italy's institutions in adapting proven approaches to the national context.

Building a sustainable and healthy future

The Senate-hosted events confirmed the role of WHO/Europe, and the Venice Office in particular, as trusted partners for national institutions in Italy. The strong engagement within the Italian Senate demonstrated how the Venice Office can help transform growing enthusiasm for prevention and well-being into sustainable, financed and measurable action for health across the Region.