The Healthy Boost Project Has Entered Its Final Phase

On 21 October this year, researchers from the Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) Institute of Public Health who are participating in the Healthy Boost project met with Uldis Mitenbergs, Head of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Country Office Latvia, and with health promotion experts from the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. 

Prof. Anita Villeruša, the Project Leader for Healthy Boost from RSU, introduced the project's aims and presented a developed model for cross-sectoral collaboration. The model that researchers from RSU have developed has been based on a scientific literature review and the self-assessment performed in the project's cities. The model has been used to promote cross-sectoral cooperation and tested by the project's partners, nine municipalities, through various health-promoting pilot projects for citizens. Furthermore, the municipalities' experience with the model use was evaluated with tools developed for the evaluation by other project partners, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine (Poland) and Västerbotten County Council (Sweden). Finally, feedback, comments, and suggestions based on the evaluation reports were incorporated by refining and finalising the model.

Both Uldis Mitenbergs and Ilze Straume, Head of the Health Promotion Department at the Centre for Disease and Prevention Control, praised the work that has been done within the project. The need to improve the practice of cross-sectoral cooperation when implementing health promotion projects in Latvia was also discussed.

At the end of the meeting, it was decided that the model for cross-sectoral cooperation in the National Network of Municipalities Promoting Health in Latvia will be promoted.

The Healthy Boost project has entered its final phase and the closing conference is scheduled for 16 November from 9:00 to 15:00.

Further information about the conference