Ljubljana - Prime Minister Janez Janša addressed a session of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Europe on Monday to stress the importance of preparedness and effective responsiveness to future health crises. He also discussed the importance of science and solidarity in battling the Covid-19 pandemic, the prime minister's office said.

"The keywords of the Covid-19 crisis are science and solidarity. By merging our scientific and technological capacities we have managed to respond quickly, although we now need solidarity at global level for a long-term victory in this fight."

The release also quotes Janša in saying at the 71st session of the regional office that healthcare systems, which had been under tremendous pressure, now needed significant investments and innovations to become stronger and more resilient.

"In order for this to happen, we - prime ministers and finance ministers - need to put healthcare even higher on the agenda," the prime minister added at the event featuring representatives from 53 countries.

Janša welcomed the initiative of the WHO Regional Office for Europe to establish a special pan-European commission for health and sustainable development.

It is important that the commission's report, which was unveiled last week, is also presented at a meeting of the G20 and other forums at which priorities in the field of financing are discussed at global level, he added.

He also welcomed the Roadmap for Health in the Western Balkans 2021-2025, which is implemented by the WHO office, saying that strategic investments in healthcare would certainly help implement plans for other investments in the region.

The Slovenian prime minister noted that the Western Balkans were one of the priorities of the Slovenian presidency of the EU Council, and that Slovenia paid particular attention to that part of Europe in all fields.

Janša called for a comprehensive and transparent investigation in the Chinese city of Wuhan in order to determine the source of the novel coronavirus. This would help obtain information needed to recognise and prevent future pandemics.