Health priorities of the Ministry of Health
In accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of Health of August 21, 2009 on health priorities
Based on Article. 31a paragraph 2 of the Act of 27 August 2004 on health care services financed from public funds (Journal of Laws of 2008 No. 164, item 1027, as amended), the following is managed:
§ 1. The following health priorities shall be established:
1) reduction of morbidity and premature mortality due to:
a) cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes,
b) malignant tumors,
c) chronic respiratory diseases;
2) limiting the effects of injuries resulting from accidents, in particular through effective rehabilitation of the injured;
3) prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of mental disorders;
4) reduction of premature morbidity and limitation of negative effects of chronic osteoarticular diseases;
5) increasing the effectiveness of the prevention of infectious diseases and infections;
6) limitation of health damages caused by:
a) alcohol consumption,
b) the use of psychoactive substances,
c) smoking;
7) counteracting the occurrence of obesity and diabetes;
8) limiting health effects caused by harmful factors in the work and living environment;
9) improvement of the quality and effectiveness of health care over mother, newborn and child under 3 years;
10) prevention of the most common health problems and disorders of physical and psychosocial development of children and youth subject to compulsory education and the obligation to study and those educating in upper secondary schools to complete them;
11) development of long-term care, with particular emphasis on compensating for lost
efficiency;
12) improving the quality and effectiveness of geriatric care for an elderly patient.
Health priorities are set by the Minister of Health on the basis of the state of health of citizens and obtaining health effects of the highest value.
In the second half of 2011 (from 1 July 2011) the Polish presidency in the Council of the European Union took place, which means that Poland presided over the meetings of the Council of the European Union. During this period, two main health priorities have been set out in the area of public health: reducing the differences in the health of European societies and preventing brain diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease.
Priority 1 focuses on:
reducing health differences between EU countries through actions on health determinants, in particular proper nutrition and physical activity;
prevention and control of respiratory diseases in children;
prevention and treatment of communication disorders in children, including the use of e-health and innovative solutions.
Priority 2 focuses on the need for continued attention to issues related to the aging of European society, to give greater importance to prevention and control of the eradication of diseases typical of old age and the related financial stability of health systems.