Resolution of the Public Health Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences dated 12/06/2012 on the Ministry of Health draft law on the public health system

Resolution of the Public Health Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences dated 12/06/2012 on the Ministry of Health draft law on the public health system

Acting under §1 and 2 of the Regulations of Public Health Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences, it is hereby resolved as follows:

The Public Health Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences at the meeting on 12/06/2012, after getting acquainted with the main assumptions of the Draft Act on the public health system, presented by the Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Health, Mr. Igor Radziewicz-Winnicki, after careful analysis and discussion, unanimously supports the presented directions and theses.

At the same time, the Committee declares its will to cooperate in the further process of preparing the Act and provides the Ministry of Health with detailed comments (in an annex) on selected issues.

ANNEX

The comments of the Public Health Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences on the Draft Act on public health system:

1. It is advisable to introduce an entry for requirement of education in the field of public health for the staff of future Public Health structures. In particular, the employment of public health graduates (bachelors, masters), as well as doctors of health sciences and people specializing in public health should be taken into account.
2. An indispensable element of the implementation of tasks in the field of public health should be programs addressed to precisely defined populations, what will enable the proper assessment of the costs and effectiveness of these programs. In the opinion of the Committee, the proposal of monitoring the effectiveness of activities included in the draft is extremely important for rational carrying out activities in the field of public health.
3. It is advisable to outline the need for a framework for cooperation of the created structures of Public Health with the National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene and Medical Universities (in particular with the Faculties of Health Sciences), in the field of collecting and analyzing epidemiological data, examining the health of the society, preparing reports etc.
4. It Is advisable to include the possibility of consulting planned activities in the field of public health with the Public Health Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences and scientific societies functioning in this area.

In the currently prepared Act on the public health system, it should be stressed that institutions related to public health and persons acting in this area will defend the social values of health, including the idea of equality in health.