On a busy schedule this morning, the Minister for Health, Manel Balcells i Díaz, held several meetings with senior representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva. Of particular note was the meeting with WHO’s Chief Nursing Officer, Amelia Latu Afuhaamango Tuipulotu, who endorsed and congratulated the Ministry of Health for its work in the nursing profession. The two parties also agreed on the need to develop the role of nursing, a global challenge.

Balcells also stressed that “The Ministry of Health is fully aligned with its global nursing strategy” and announced that WHO has invited the Ministry to take part in the World Forum focusing on what the role of nursing leadership in the healthcare system should be. In this regard, Balcells pointed out that “this is something of a new initiative, which signifies a commitment at the level of Catalonia to place nursing as a protagonist in the change of care model that must transform the national healthcare system”.

In addition to the nursing profession, in a full day, the Catalan delegation held meetings with WHO representatives on advanced therapies in oncology; sports and exercise medicine, and neglected tropical diseases.

With regard to advanced therapies, the minister explained that there is a commitment from WHO to advocate for hospital exemption for certain diseases. “This is a very important issue for us, above all for rare diseases and also for cancer, and we agree with WHO on this strategy”.

The hospital exemption allows for some advanced therapies, such as CAR T cells, to be developed and manufactured in hospitals for specific patients, under medical prescription and subject to strict quality standards.

In addition, the Ministry of Health has agreed with WHO to sign a framework collaboration agreement to continue working in the field of neglected diseases and to enhance the application of artificial intelligence, ensuring that it will be used ethically and in a way that promotes equity in the healthcare environment.