Associate Health Minister, Ayesha Verrall, has departed for Europe to attend global cancer and mental health meetings.
Minister Verrall will deliver the keynote speech at the World Cancer Congress in Geneva on 20 October, highlighting the Government’s work implementing the Smokefree 2025 Action Plan.
Further meetings will take place in Geneva with WHO officials on tobacco control, COVID-19 and the global pandemic treaty.
She will also represent New Zealand at the Global Mental Health Summit in Rome as well as acknowledging New Zealand’s scientific collaboration with Italy in Antarctica.
Talks with the European Commission will take place in Strasbourg as New Zealand progresses to become an associate member of Horizon Europe.
Meetings will also take place in France to continue advancing NZ research and science relationship with the EU.
The Minister will also visit Callaghan Innovation at the Cleantech forum in Singapore and deliver a keynote address highlighting New Zealand successful work in tobacco control.
The Singapore leg of trip will include meetings with health officials and experts to share ideas and tactics for pandemic preparedness planning and other health issues.
“Our world leading response to COVID-19 has been commended by many other nations who maintain a keen interested in our successful strategy for managing a challenging COVID-19 pandemic,” says Dr Verrall.
