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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

National action plan for environmental protection and children’s health in preparation

Belgrade, 14 March 2006

Serbian Assistant Minister of Health Snezana Simic said today that Serbia-Montenegro has begun preparations to adopt and implement a national action plan for environmental protection and children’s health next year.

Author: Fonet

The workshop concerning the preparation for drafting and implementation of a national action plan for environmental protection and children’s health is being held under the auspices of the World Health Organisation (WHO). At the workshop Simic recalled that Serbia-Montenegro committed to adopting the national action plan by signing a declaration at the Ministerial Conference on environmental protection and children’s health in 2004 in Budapest.

Head of the Directorate for Environmental Protection at the Serbian Ministry of Science and Environmental Protection Miroslav Spasojevic said that throughout Europe, and not just in countries in transition, it has been observed that diseases among children are increasing, especially diseases of the respiratory organs, often a consequence of living in an environment which exposes them to risk.

He said that these diseases among children are caused mostly by polluted air in industrial centres and cities with heavy traffic, and an additional harmful factor in Serbia-Montenegro is the wide-spread use of leaded fuel.

WHO Regional Adviser for Environment and Health Coordination and Partnerships Lucianne Licari said that it is necessary to investigate in detail the effect of risk factors in the environment on health at a national and international level, and take measures to minimise them.

The project of drafting and implementation of a national action plan for environmental protection and children’s health is being organised by the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the WHO office to Serbia-Montenegro, in cooperation with the Serbian Ministry of Health and the Serbian Ministry of Science and Environmental Protection.

The Children’s Environment and Health Action Plan for Europe (CEHAPE) was adopted as a result of implementation of decisions taken at the Fourth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health themed “The future for our children”, held in Budapest in 2004. Serbia-Montenegro is one of the signatory countries of this declaration.