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Key Health Policies

The Ministry of Health (MOH) is responsible for the development of health policy, health legislation and the planning of health services. It is supported in its health planning function by the medical universities, the Higher Medical Council and the National Association of Hospitals. The MOH has 28 regional centres which collect health related data on behalf of the National Health Information Centre. These regional health centres also have a role in implementing national policy and ensuring communication between local and central

authorities. Regulation of the health sector is not strong since standards and regulatory means have not been established.

A National Health Strategy was produced by the MOH in 2001. The Strategy identifies a number of key aims:

1. To improve:

■ The health of pregnant women;

■ The health of newborn infants and children;

■ The health of adolescents and young people;

■ The health of individuals from risk groups threatened by poverty-related factors;

■ The rehabilitation of physically handicapped individuals

2. To discourage high-risk behaviour such as smoking, alcohol and drug abuse; unhealthy

diets and sedentary lifestyles

3. To reduce the number of premature deaths from coronary heart disease; strokes; malignancy and accidents

4. To reduce the incidence and severity of diabetes mellitus, bronchial obstructive conditions and mental disorders

5. To reduce the incidence of, and mortality from communicable diseases; diseases resulting from contaminated food and sexually-transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS.

The MOH is preparing a new health policy document and an action plan for implementation.

The MOH directly manages its national agencies. It administers other services through its 28 regional health centres and through hospital directors appointed by the regional centres in cooperation with the municipalities. The municipalities, as the owners of most health

facilities, have yet to develop capacity to manage the health reform process. Managers of health facilities have little financial discretion since budgetary allocations from the municipalities are earmarked for specific purposes. The 1999 Law on Health-Care Institutions allows them to convert themselves into legally and financially self-governing entities with managerial autonomy. The Health Insurance Fund, when fully functioning, should also

provide new planning and regulatory levers.

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