The Process of Health Policy Development [antikvár]

PrefaceThe WHO Regional Office for Europe carries out its tasks through direct collaboration with individual Member States and through its intercountry programmes. The Country Health Policies Unit 1ms as its main responsibility, the support of countries in the development of the Health for All policy. Such support is given directly to countries, but also by bringing a number of countries together to discuss their various common challenges and share their knowledge and experiences. The information gained in such fora can then be used by Member States in their own national situation. This report serves exactly that purpose, of ensuring that as many as possible can learn from the discussions held in Lugano. With the rapid cltanges taking place in central and eastern Europe, and the exciting developments in the European Community, following the Maastricht agreement, health policy is high on the political agenda. It is hoped that this document will contribute to the on-going discussions, within countries at national and subnational levels, and within international organizations. The thought-provoking papers presented at the meeting and the analysis of the discussion, will also provide background documentation for an important health policy conference which is to take place in Madrid in 1993. Since this document offers concrete case studies of the process of health policy development in a number of countries, it should also be an excellent tool for educationalists and trainers. If it gives food for thought to those presently in a position to influence health policy in their own countries, or to those training to take up such positions, then it will have achieved its purpose. The Country Health Policies unit in the WHO Regional Office for Europe, is continuing, with the help of experts throughout the Region, to document and analyse the largely uncharted area of the processes of health policy development. We should like to thank all those who attended the meeting and made it a success, but particularly Dr. Gianfranco Domenighetti, and the staff of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Policy at the Subnational Level, Planning and Evaluation, in Lugano, without whom this meeting would not have been possible.