Sustainable development, aimed at long-term improvement of the quality of life, is one of the strategic commitments of Montenegro, and health resources are an investment in growth and development, said the Minister of Health, Miodrag Radunović.
The delegation of the Ministry of Health is participating in a two-day conference, called the First High-Level Meeting of Small Countries - Implementation of the Health 2020 Policy, which is being held in San Marino.
The aim of the meeting is to define a platform for the exchange of experiences of small countries, which, according to the Ministry, will contribute to strengthening the capacity for full implementation of the Health by 2020 policy and its innovative approaches to improving health and reducing inequalities in health.
Radunović participated in the thematic session Health 2020, as a framework for synergy between health and other sectors, with the aim of promoting sustainable development - Experience of Montenegro.
"Sustainable development, aimed at the long-term improvement of the quality of life, is one of the strategic commitments of Montenegro and the National Strategy on Sustainable Development. Montenegro is in the process of drafting a new Sustainable Development Strategy 2014-2020, which will promote synergy and partnerships between different sectoral policies in order to improve health citizens," stressed Radunović.
He pointed out that health resources are an investment in growth and development.
"Health is not a cost for the economy. By investing in health, we invest in human capital, and the dividend is paid in the form of employment and increased productivity. Health contributes to economic growth and national development through productive employment, reducing the cost of treatment and sick leave, and contributes to greater social cohesion." said Radunovic.
Chronic non-communicable diseases are a serious challenge
As he said, the intention is for the national framework for sustainable development to contribute to achieving maximum health at all ages through universal health care and sectoral policies that support health.
Radunović stated that vital health indicators indicate progress in improving the health of citizens of Montenegro.
"Nevertheless, premature mortality as a consequence of chronic non-communicable diseases represents a serious challenge that can be overcome by acting on the social determinants of health and related risk factors," said Radunović.
He explained that health promotion and prevention does not mean only persuading/convincing citizens to practice healthy lifestyles or conducting campaigns to raise awareness of their importance.
"We are aware that, if we want our citizens to be and remain healthy, we must provide healthy living conditions. Therefore, smart, green, healthy policies for traffic, energy, agriculture, and tourism are an imperative of the modern era," said Radunović.
Additional efforts to reform the health system
According to him, the implementation of these policies, aimed at creating favorable social and environmental conditions, which promote the health of the population and enable an individual to make a healthy and sustainable decision related to his daily life, represent a condition without which there is no further progress.
As he said, Montenegro, faced with numerous challenges, entered the process of reorientation of the health care system with the desire to change the paradigm of providing health care and make a departure from the dominant acute care, in order to provide enough space and resources for preventive services.
"The reform of the health system also entails additional efforts aimed at fully implementing the concept of integrated provision of health services as an effective response to chronic diseases," assessed Radunović.
The Republic of San Marino, in cooperation with the WHO Regional Office for Europe, helps countries with less than one million inhabitants in the implementation of the Health 2020 policy.
He also introduced the participants of the meeting to the reform activities that have been carried out in the health care of Montenegro since 2003, emphasizing that additional reform efforts are aimed at achieving the financial sustainability of the health system.
As announced, the meeting discussed the improvement of the development of national health policies in accordance with Health 2020, the provision of an interstate network for capacity building on key aspects of Health 2020 with an emphasis on social determinants of health and intersectoral management, and the creation of a platform for sharing experience and joint learning. .
The Republic of San Marino, in cooperation with the WHO Regional Office for Europe, helps countries with less than one million inhabitants in the implementation of the Health 2020 policy.
Eight countries, including Montenegro, were invited to join the San Marino project.
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