Health and Safety in Poland

The health care management and financing of Poland is divided amongst 3 major institutions: Ministry of Health; National Health Fund; and Territorial self-government organization. It is the major role of the Ministry of Health to administer national health programs, key capital investments, and medical science and education. The Minister of Health also has direct supervision to the Chief Pharmaceutical Inspector and the President of the Office for Medicinal Products, Medical Devices and Biocides Registration. In 2003, the National Health Fund (NHF) started as a successor to the previous 16 sickness funds. Its foremost responsibility is to finance health services given to insured Polish. NHF is to maintain, restore, promote, and improve human health through its services.

Poland’s health care is a combination of public and private financing. Contributions for social health insurance are compulsory at a rate making it as a major source of health care funding. By the end of 2003, Poland has a total of about 740 public and 72 non-governmental/private hospitals. Life expectancy for Polish women is 78.9 while for men its 70.5 during the same year. There is also a significant decrease in infant mortality over the last years. Currently, the Polish government is aiming to create health policies and reforms that can deal with population ageing, reduction of hospital debts, initiation of other revenue sources for health care funding, reorganization of the health sector, and controlling the increase in health expenditure.