Group photo;
Credit: Jānis Saliņš
On Thursday 4 and Friday 5 June 2026, Luxembourg’s Health and Social Security Minister Martine Deprez attended the twelfth High-Level Ministerial Meeting of the WHO/Europe Small Countries Initiative, which took place in Riga, Latvia.
According to the Luxembourg’s Health and Social Security Ministry, the meeting was held under the theme "From Shortages to Sustainability: Can Small Nations Lead the Way in Health Workforce Innovation?", bringing together health ministers and senior representatives from twelve countries in the WHO European Region with populations of fewer than two million people.
Participants included Dr Hans Henri P Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, and European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi.
Discussions focused on the common challenges facing small states, including healthcare workforce shortages, health security, population ageing and the resilience of healthcare systems. Participants also highlighted the role that small countries can play in developing innovative, agile and patient-centred solutions.
According to the ministry, during a panel discussion on digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, Minister Deprez stressed that digital innovation should not be viewed as a standalone solution to workforce pressures but as a tool to support healthcare professionals, strengthen patient trust and improve the quality of care.
"A common challenge for small countries is that we cannot develop separate digital and artificial intelligence strategies for every sector or institution. We need shared national foundations – data governance, interoperability, cybersecurity, digital skills and trust – and then adapt them to the specific needs of health and care," said Martine Deprez.
Minister Deprez also presented DigiSanté, Luxembourg's national programme for implementing the European Health Data Space, as an example of how European frameworks can be translated into practical action at national level. The programme aims to strengthen a secure, interoperable and patient-centred digital health system while supporting the daily work of healthcare professionals, explained the ministry.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Deprez held a bilateral meeting with Latvian Health Minister Hosams Abu Meri. They discussed shared healthcare priorities and workforce challenges faced by smaller countries.
The meeting concluded with the adoption of the Small Countries Statement. Through this joint declaration, member states of the Small Countries Initiative committed to addressing the dual challenges of health security and population ageing, notably through the implementation of the second WHO/Europe Programme of Work.
