Forum on medicine innovativeness and accessibility
Several hundred scientists, politicians, health service specialists, representatives of patient organizations, media and MSD representatives from Europe took part in a meeting held on 30 June 2009 in Warsaw. This forum focused on innovations as a method to level the differences in the health care system. Many speakers emphasised different aspects of public health shaping the health care systems in Poland and medicine policy in the Visegrad Group countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia).
Lecturers who answered key questions in the foregoing problems were: Klara Dobrev, Head of the Hungarian Association of National Committees, Andrea Fischer, former Minister of Health in Federal republic of Germany, prof. Ilona Kickbusch, Meta Forum Scientific Advisor, Dr Barbara Mittleman, Chief of Public-Private Partnership Bureau, Pat Cox, former Chairman of the European Parliament and many more. Waldemar Pawlak, Vice-President of the Republic of Poland welcomed the guests and started a discussion on public and private forms of health care in Poland, which he believes is the key factor to economic growth and welfare.
Madelaine K. Albright, former US Secretary of State talked about women’s health and their disease-burdened lives. Some diseases, such as those related to childbirth or reproductive organs, affect only women, and others, such as osteoporosis or cancer, affect them in other ways than men. She was concerned about how health care systems in various countries respond to women’s needs.
Klara Dobrev quoted data from the Ministry of Health on the availability of health care in Hungary, which show that women’s chances are 10 times smaller than men’s. However, she approved of the prophylactic care. 90 % of cases is a result of education and public relations activities in rural environment.
“In Poland only 7% of women accept such free-of-charge examination invitations”, says Beata Małecka-Libera – Minister in Polish Parliament. “In order to encourage women we established a parliamentary women group who educate women all over the country.”
Andrea Fischer, former German Minister of Health confirmed that only half of the women in Germany participate in those free-of-charge examinations. She emphasised that innovation also means new technological processes, new way of thinking about health and a new lifestyle.
