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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Theme for World Health Day this year “International Health Security”

Belgrade, 4 April 2007

Coordinator in the Serbian Ministry of Health Slobodan Lalaovic said today that the World Health Day on April 7 will be dedicated this year to international health security and the challenges posed to the World Health Organisation (WHO) by natural disasters and catastrophes caused by the human factor.

Author: Fonet

Lalovic said at central event for observing World Health Day held at the Old Court in Belgrade that this theme was chosen due to new challenges which are beyond national boundaries and impact upon the safety of all people in the world.

The Minister said that these challenges are diseases such as SARS and bird flu, and also natural disasters such as earthquakes, heat waves, floods, tsunami etc. He added that Serbia could successfully become part of the global system of fighting for health security because it has experts and suitable institutions.

Serbian Assistant Minister of Health Snezana Simic stressed that Serbia is very well prepared to deal with global threats for human health. She pointed to the fact that Serbia has suitable legal regulatives, but the strategy for national response in emergency situations is yet to be adopted.

Epidemiologist Predrag Kon said that Serbia is reasonably well prepared in case of the appearance of a bird flu epidemic because teams of epidemiologists are equipped for speedy reaction, and additional hospitals and laboratories are also ready.

He warned however that Serbia’s capability to deal with the outbreak of the common or seasonal flu pandemic is inadequate and unsatisfactory. He added that due to that this year it is planned that operative plans will be designed, additional education will be provided to health workers, monitoring of seasonal flu will be improved and more equipment will be purchased.

Assistant Director at the Belgrade City Public Health Institute for hygiene and environmental protection Snezana Matic- Besarabic recalled that from 2001 to 2006 a total of 121 accidents involving chemicals took place in Serbia, in which a total of 12 people were killed, and several received major or minor injuries.

According to Matic-Besarabic, accidents with chemicals most frequently take place in industrial complexes due to outdated facilities and systems, as well as during transportation of toxic and dangerous substances.