WHO Unveils Comprehensive Strategy to Improve Child and Adolescent Health in Europe Post-COVID

The WHO is developing a comprehensive strategy to address the surge in mental health issues, obesity, and healthcare inequalities among children and adolescents in Europe post-COVID-19. This strategy focuses on early childhood development, adolescent health, and strengthening health systems, aiming to create a healthier and more equitable future for young people.

The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the WHO Office for Quality of Care and Patient Safety, the WHO Regional Office for Europe, and various pediatric societies and stakeholders, is intensifying its efforts to address the health and wellbeing of children and adolescents in Europe. Recognizing a pressing need for action post-COVID-19, the organization has developed a comprehensive regional Child and Adolescent Health Strategy. The pandemic has led to a surge in mental health conditions among young people, with one in four adolescents now affected. Additionally, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among primary school children is alarming, with one in three children affected. These issues are exacerbated by socioeconomic inequalities, highlighting a growing divide in health outcomes across different countries.

Key Focus Areas of the WHO Strategy

In response, WHO began developing the strategy in 2019, aiming to convert identified problems into actionable standards. These standards have been updated to reflect the impact of COVID-19 and regional crises. Children and adolescents have been actively involved in shaping the strategy, ensuring their priorities are considered. The strategy is set to undergo review by European countries before its presentation to the WHO Regional Committee for Europe for adoption. Key areas of focus include early childhood development, school and adolescent health, strengthening health systems, improving the quality of care, addressing the needs of the most vulnerable, and mobilizing societal action on the commercial, social, environmental, and digital determinants of health. The strategy aims to monitor regional progress and guide the development of national strategies for child and adolescent health and wellbeing.

The Pandemic's Impact on Young Lives

The control measures imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted children's lives, leading to widespread school closures and restricted social interactions, which in turn negatively affected their mental health and development. The WHO-associated Health Behaviours in School-aged Children (HBSC) network conducted surveys that revealed a troubling increase in mental health complaints among adolescents, particularly 15-year-old girls, and persistent issues of peer violence and bullying. Despite a historical decline, child mortality rates are stagnating or even reversing in parts of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Health systems in many countries still rely on outdated treatment protocols, and healthcare providers often lack adequate training in child and adolescent health. To address this, WHO has developed a Pocket Book of Primary Health Care for Children and Adolescents, now available as a mobile app, to provide up-to-date, evidence-based treatment guidelines.

Addressing Broader Determinants of Health

Broader determinants of child health, such as socioeconomic conditions and digital threats, are also critical areas of focus. Societal roles in shaping environments conducive to healthy child development are emphasized, with an urgent need for guidelines and legislation to protect against digital age threats. The regional strategy, which builds on the previous 2014-2020 strategy, is being developed through extensive consultation with stakeholders, including children and adolescents. It addresses a wide range of issues, from medical problems to social and environmental factors, and seeks to create positive standards for health promotion in schools and beyond. This strategy is embedded in a monitoring and evaluation framework and aims to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and uphold the rights of children as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

A Unified Effort for a Healthier Future

The pandemic's impact on children extends beyond immediate health concerns, affecting their long-term development and wellbeing. During the height of the pandemic, around 180 countries closed their schools, leaving 1.5 billion students worldwide missing out on learning. Additionally, social contact and outside play were often restricted, impacting children's mental health and well-being. Social interaction with friends and peers is essential for healthy development. Physical activity decreased as children spent long hours indoors, often in front of screens, particularly among higher socio-economic groups. Vulnerable children, including those with developmental difficulties, were generally more affected, with late diagnoses and restricted access to early interventions. Infection control took precedence over other health issues, leading to significant setbacks for an entire generation.

A Call to Action for All Stakeholders

The new strategy aims to address these setbacks by focusing on early childhood development, school and adolescent health, and strengthening health systems. It also emphasizes the importance of improving the quality of care, recognizing and acting on the needs of the most vulnerable, and galvanizing societal action on the commercial, social, environmental, and digital determinants of health. By doing so, WHO hopes to create a healthier and more equitable future for Europe's children and adolescents. The strategy will serve as a basis for monitoring regional progress and enable the development of national child and adolescent health and wellbeing strategies and monitoring frameworks.

To date, the Child and Adolescent Health Strategy has undergone wide review, including by pediatric societies and two multi-country consultations with children and adolescents. The findings of the HBSC survey serve as an important basis for the strategy, while additional background information and evidence to support advocacy are being accumulated. WHO calls on all actors to come together for children and adolescents, emphasizing the role of pediatric societies in promoting the strategy and advocating for action through their national Ministries of Health, in collaboration with the WHO Regional Committee for Europe. This collective effort is essential to ensure the health and wellbeing of Europe's younger generations.