Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia, City of Belgrade Secretariat of Health and the Balkan’s Primary Health Care Policy Project are organizing the Regional Conference "The Future of Primary Health Care in the Balkans: Responses to the Challenges" in Belgrade, October 13th and 14h, 2008. This Conference is the second regional conference within the Project implemented in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Balkan’s Primary Health Care Policy Project is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). It is implemented in accordance with the Memoranda of Understanding between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Republic of Serbia, and the Government of Canada and the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Regional Conference will provide an opportunity for professional interaction between policy decision makers, managers, health providers and consumers of Primary Health Care from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and the region.

Countries in the Balkan region have recognized the PHC as the basis of their healthcare systems. Organization, provision and the delivery of health care services vary across countries but the principles are common and the policies guiding their development are similar. The 2nd Regional Conference will provide an opportunity for the participants to take a strategic view of the potential issues facing PHC within their health care systems and to begin critically to assess challenges, to share different or alternative strategies and the lessons learned from each others’ experiences and to strengthen the relationship between factions facing common challenges.

The Conference will be organized to allow for dialogue between the stakeholders in Primary Health Care, including the consumers of PHC and vulnerable populations.

Canadian Society for International Health and Queen’s University partner in the project with Ministry of Health of Serbia, Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ministry of Health of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the Republic Srpska, Health Department of Brcko District and Local Self-governments of Cities and Municipalities in both countries.