Joint Working Group on Health and Related Social Issues (JWGHS)

The Joint Working Group on Health and Related Social Issues (JWGHS) brings together governments, regions, organizations and experts in health and related social issues with the aim to improve public health and social well-being of the people in the Barents Region. The JWGHS works closely with organizations such as the World Health Organization, Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being, the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Council of Baltic States and the European Commission.  

The Republic of Karelia and the Government of Norway have taken over as the Co-Chairs of the working group.

Report of the Chairmanship of Finland and Komi 2009-2011: English | Russian

The JWGHS Cooperation Programme for 2012-2015, in English | Russian  
Annex to the Cooperation Programme, recommendations and lessons learned: English | Russian 

Scope and priorities 2012-2015:

• Prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases 
• Reduction of lifestyle-related risk factors to improve health and the social situation of the population 
• Development of primary health care, public health and social services

In all the priority areas special attention should be paid to:

• Gender mainstreaming
• The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and improvement of the health and social wellbeing of children and young people
• Effective coordination and public health aspects

The former Cooperation Programme, 2008-2011, English | Russian.

Find all JWGHS documents here.


Children and Youth at Risk (CYAR)

A very important step was taken at the Working Group’s meeting in Arkhangelsk in March 2008 when a decision was taken to establish the sub-program Children and Youth at Risk (CYAR)   and to elect a steering committee for the programme.

The Barents HIV/Aids Program was adopted in 2005 and has its own steering committee. 
Evaluation of the HIV/AIDS Program 2011 here.

Find all JWGHS documents here

Achievements of the working group

The first cooperation programme in the Barents Region on health was adopted in 1999. The first cooperation programme on Health and Related Social Issues covered the period of 2004 – 2007. During the cooperation periods a large number of projects have been accomplished within a wide range of activities such as improving medical and technical knowledge, vocational training, introduction of new techniques, exchange of experience and competence, preventive measures and development of primary health care, organizational advice, control strategies and treatment services. The cooperation has been most successful within projects on the prevention of infectious diseases and education on modernization and improvement of methods in practical social and health work. Up till 2007 approx. 30 million € have been allocated to social and health projects in the Barents Cooperation.

Contact persons and chairs of the Joint Working Group on Health and Related Social Issues (JWGHS)


Co-Chairs

Ms. Vibeke R. Gundersen
Senior Adviser
Section for International Collaboration and preparedness
Ministry of Health and Care Servises
PO Box 8011, Dep 0030, Oslo, Norway
Tel: +47 48 26 27 16  
E-post: vrg@hod.dep.no

Ms Valentina Vasilyevna Ulich
Minister Administration of the Governor of the Republic of Karelia
6 Lenina Avenue, 185660, Petrozavodsk, Russia 
Tel: +78142 792900
Fax: +78142 782819
E-mail: social@onego.ru

National Representatives

Mr. Mikhail Murashko
Minister of Public Health of the Republic of Komi
73 Lenin St., Syktyvkar, Republic of Komi, Russia
Tel.: +7 (8212) 44 07 77
Fax: +7 (8212) 44 13 25
E-mail: kontrol@mz.rkomi.ru

Mr. Olli Kuukasjärvi
Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Ministerial Adviser.
Tel: +358 9 16073168,
fax: +358 9 16073296,
E-mail: olli.kuukasjarvi@stm.fi

Mr. Göran Carlsson
Special Adviser
Fredsgatan 8
103 33 Stockholm
Tel. +46 (8) 405 23 02
E-mail: goran.carlsson@social.ministry.se 

Ms. Siw Ellefsen, Senior Adviser
Ministry of Children and Equality, P.O.Box 8036, 0030 Oslo, Norway
Tel: +47 22 24 26 28, Fax: +47 22 24 27 19
E-mail: siw.ellefsen@bld.dep.no

Mr. Harald Siem, Head of Departement
Norwegian Directorate for Health and Social Affairs, P.O.Box 7000, St. Olavs plass, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Tel: +47 24 16 35 63, Fax: +47 24 16 30 01
E-mail: has@shdir.no

Regional Representatives

Larisa Ivanovna Menshikova
Minister 49, Troitsky prospect163004
Arkhangelsk, Russia
Tel: +7 8182 21 55 84
Fax: +7 8182 21 57 10
e-mail: zdrav@dvinaland.ru  

Mr. Pål Christian Bergstrøm, Director General, Chair: The Steering Committee on Youth and Children at Risk
Bufetat Region Nord, P.O.Box 919, 9259 Tromsø, Norway
Mobile: +47 46 61 55 02, Fax: +47 77 68 07 95
E-mail: pal.christian.bergstrom@bufetat.no

Mr. Arnt Uchermann, Special Adviser
Health Authority of Northern Norway, P.O.Box 412, 9915 Kirkenes, Norway
Mobile: +47 91 32 73 21
E-mail: arnt.uchermann@helse-finnmark.no

Mr. Arkadi Dmitrievich Rubin
Minister
75, Lenin Prospect
Murmansk, Russia
Tel.: (8 815 2) 48 89 55
E-mail: rubin@gov-murman.ru , o.n.fedulova@mail.ru

Ms. Laila Dalhaug, Adviser
Norwegian Barents Secretariat, P.O.Box 276, 9915 Kirkenes, Norway
Tel: +47 78 97 70 50, Mobile: +47 91 57 53 89, Fax: +47 78 97 70 55
E-mail: laila.dalhaug@barents.no 

Ms. Galina Arteeva
E-mail: yasavey@atnet.ru
Working Group on Indigenous Peoples

Useful links

• www.ndphs.org - The Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being

The Joint Working Group on Health and Related Social Issues' Document Archive