Minister of Investment, Regional Development and Informatics (MIRRI) of the Slovak Republic Samuel Migaľ and State Secretary of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic Michal Štofko signed a health contract in Trenčín today. The Health Programme represents an important step in strengthening the disease prevention system and improving access to healthcare for Slovak citizens.
The programme builds on the successful first cycle implemented between 2007 and 2017 and brings funding to Slovakia in a number of areas, including vocational education, sustainable tourism and biodiversity, as well as promoting health and disease prevention.
–Thanks to this cooperation we can jointly implement measures and move the level of preventive health care in Slovakia. Swiss support is crucial for the development of innovation and the sharing of best practices that contribute to the long-term sustainability of the health system. We very much appreciate this partnership approach, which demonstrates a strong international friendship and a common vision for a healthier future. We believe that the partnerships and experiences established will continue to benefit both countries, said Michal Štofko.
At present, prevention must be seen as an investment not as a cost in the health sector and more than investment in health promotion and disease control is needed.
An effective model of health promotion and disease prevention should result in:
- increasing participation in prevention programmes by 40% by 2030;
- reducing the incidence and mortality of cardiovascular and cancer diseases;
- saving healthcare costs due to less need for treatment of advanced disease stages;
- improving citizens' health literacy and proactive access to their own health.
Switzerland-Slovak Programme Health is based on the principle of health in all policies, which aims to integrate health into different sectoral policies in order to improve public health and achieve wider societal benefits.
