Findings of the 11th annual Public Health Workshop

The 11th annual Public Health Workshop, held on October 7–8, 2025, concluded successfully. The main theme of this year’s event was children’s health in relation to the concept of Healthy Schools in Cyprus. The workshop focused on the pressing need for society to invest in healthy schools that promote health for a healthier future for children.

This long-standing public health event has been organized for 11 consecutive years by the Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health (CII) of the School of Health Sciences at the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT). The workshop was held under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Nikos Christodoulides, who was represented by Dr. Elisavet Constantinou, Acting Director General of the Ministry of Health. The Minister of Education, Sport, and Youth, Dr. Athina Michaelidou, was represented by Dr. Christiana Philippou Charidimou, Health Education Officer.

In addition to the scientific presentations, important findings emerged from a panel discussion involving policymakers and experts on children’s health and schools, moderated by Mr. Chrysanthos Tsouroullis, CEO of Dias Media Group.

The panel brought together representatives from the Ministries of Health and Education, Sport, and Youth, as well as the Cyprus Paediatric Society. Participants included Dr. Revekka Georgiou, representative of the Minister of Health, Mr. Michalis Damianou; Dr. Christiana Philippou Charidimou, Health Education Officer and representative of the Minister of Education, Sport, and Youth, Dr. Athina Michaelidou; Mr. Prodromos Alampritis, Member of Parliament and member of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Culture; Dr. Michalis Anastasiades, Paediatrician and President of the Cyprus Paediatric Society; Dr. Charalambos Hadjigeorgiou, Paediatrician and Research Associate at the Institute of Child Health; and Dr. Konstantinos Makris, Professor of Environmental Health at CUT.

The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Irshad A. Shaikh, WHO Special Representative and Head of the WHO Country Office in Cyprus, who highlighted the main challenges to children’s health in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Dr. Shaikh presented the eight pillars for promoting healthy school environments, calling on all relevant stakeholders to take immediate action in implementing best practices that promote health in schools, emphasizing the critical importance of mental health care.

Special mention was made of the recent institutional recognition of the Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health (CII) by the House of Representatives as the first officially established Public Health Research Unit in Cyprus. The Institute’s core mission remains the continued provision of high-quality public health education programs for new and existing professionals, as well as the generation of research data to address critical public health questions relevant to Cypriot society.

KEY FINDINGS – 1st DAY (summary)

The issue of childhood obesity was highlighted, revealing a significant variation in obesity rates between urban and rural areas and between low- and high-income groups.
There is a need for more frequent and unannounced inspections of school canteens, as violations of relevant legislation have been observed.
The establishment of a regulatory framework for the use of screens, social media, and artificial intelligence by children and adolescents is necessary.
Enhancement and maintenance of greenery and related infrastructure within and around schools are essential.
Increased use of natural materials for playground and schoolyard surfaces appears to strengthen children’s immune systems.
Combined interventions in schools—such as integrating nutrition and physical activity—are crucial. A notable example is Greece’s initiative to combat childhood obesity, focusing on the following action pillars: drinking water instead of soft drinks, promoting healthy meals and breakfasts, integrating physical exercise, and managing recreational screen time.
Prevention, the cornerstone of public health, should begin in schools—not in hospitals.
As in previous years, the need for stronger collaboration between the Ministries of Health and Education, Sport, and Youth on school health issues was emphasized. Other school community stakeholders—parents, teachers, academics, and researchers—should also be involved.
There is a need to collect observational data on children’s health and environment through schools.
The state budget for schools should be strengthened to support health, sustainability, and environmental initiatives.
Indoor air quality in classrooms appears to be worse than that of students’ homes and their families, according to a Cypriot study.
The Healthy School model in Japan, which has been running since the 1950s, incorporates health and sustainability concepts through daily school meals, benefiting both children and parents.

KEY FINDINGS – DAY 2 (summary)

Human biomonitoring is an important tool for the prevention and protection of children from harmful chemicals found in food, water, personal care products, plastics, and other sources.
Systematic monitoring of health and environmental indicators during critical windows of vulnerability in childhood is essential to identify, in a timely manner, potential risks that may affect a child’s development and growth.
Reducing inequalities in children’s health can be achieved through the creation of “school community observatories”, which can strengthen and complement existing school health services. These observatories can offer multiple benefits: individualized reports for parents, feedback for schools, community engagement through prevention and training programs, and a reduction in the social cost of chronic diseases.
Recent epidemiological studies show that limiting children’s screen time and exposure to social media, particularly in the early years of life, significantly supports the development of essential learning experiences and cognitive growth.
School health education programs and intersectoral coordination enhance children’s resilience against environmental risks.
Upgrading schoolyards and promoting their co-management by schools, municipalities, and communities could support environmental education and help revitalize urban areas suffering from a lack of greenery.
Adopting healthy habits during adolescence reduces the risk of cancer and premature mortality.
Prevention and reduction of risk factors, such as childhood obesity, are key to addressing fatty liver disease, the most common liver condition in children.
The Cyprus Epidemiology and Public Health Association (CyEPHA) coordinated the first structured mapping exercise of the broader public health system and its priorities in Cyprus. The meeting, which brought together all relevant stakeholders for an interactive discussion with the CyEPHA Board, was successfully coordinated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nikos Middleton, Department of Nursing, Cyprus University of Technology.