Environmental Health in Hungary Environmental Health in Hungary in the Light of the in the Light of the

44thth Ministerial Conference: Ministerial Conference: Current Activities, Projects and TasksCurrent Activities, Projects and Tasks

ISEECentral and Eastern European Meeting 4 - 6 September, Balatonföldvár, 2003

Gyula Dura, Anna PáldyGyula Dura, Anna Páldy

National Institute of Environmental HealthNational Institute of Environmental Health, , Budapest

• Growing international Growing international

awareness that good health awareness that good health is VITALis VITAL

– European Environmental and Health European Environmental and Health Process Process

– EU new Public Health Policy EU new Public Health Policy – European Environment &Health StrategyEuropean Environment &Health Strategy– UN Millenium Development Goals UN Millenium Development Goals – Declaration of Johannesburg Word

conference on Sustainable Development– 4th European Environment & Health

Ministerial Conferance

Environmental health is very important for Hungary

Commitment of Hungary in strengthening environmental health policy

This is supported by our legal provisions

Act of 1991 on National Public Health and Medical Officer’s Service

in the new Act of 1997 on Health a whole chapter deals with environmental health issues

Active institutions in the field of environmental healthThe establishment of the National Institute for Environmental Health (NIEH) in 1998 reflects that in Hungary environmental health is a priority issue

Implementation of environmental health policy -

Environmental Health Surveillance, provided by Natl.Public Health and

Medical Officer’s Service as well as county Public Health Institutes

NIEH (former National Institute of Hygiene, founded in 1925)

• professional expertise;• professional objectives as setting up of environmental health requirements,

including human health risk based limit values;

• collecting and management of environmental health data (analysis,

interpretation of monitored data );

• environmental health impact assessment;

• development, calibration and validation of the chemical analytical and

microbiological laboratory methods; exposure models for chemical

transfer and transport processes of environmental pollutants ;• methodological and continuing education centre for environmental health

inspectors, technicians;• research on the effects of natural, man-made and social environments on

human health.

The dynamic environmental health activity in Hungary

explained by good practice regarding the management of the environmental health problems that appeared after the political system change;

harmonization of national legislation to international requirements;

health risk assessment and management of polluted sites/areas to protect the health of population living in hot spots.

Contaminated sites in Hungary

The dynamic environmental health activity

Long-term public health programme for the improvement of the health status of the population Parlament Resolution on Decade of Health ‘Johan Béla’ National Programe

• Health has to become most important human value for the vast majority of the public, citizens have to be made ready to act to maintain its health.

• Years of life spent in good health have to be extended.• Decision-makers have to integrate health policy into

sectoral policy.

The dynamic environmental health activityLong-term public health programme for the

improvement of the health status of the population (2)• Establishing and maintaining equal opportunity to a

healthy life• Conditions for healthy development have to be

guaranteed for upcoming generations, from conception to adulthood.

• Social inequalities and differences in life expectancy at birth have to be reduced.

• Creating an environment conducive to health, reducing death due to environmental (external) causes

• Improving epidemiological safety/food/environmental/occupational safety

• Strengthening capacity – rapidly reply to new challenges

European environmental health process

Frankfurt 1989

Common policy European Carta of Environment and Health

Helsinki 1994

Common planning

European Environmental Health Action Plan

London 1999

Action in partnership

Water and Health Protocol Carta on Transport, Environment and Health

Budapest 2004

FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN

The decisions, recommendations of the previous ministerial conferences

• Helsinki Conference, 1994Hungary was among the firsts to develop the National Environmental Health Action Programmeoverview E&H priority problems and launch actions covering the whole country and mobilising the relevant sectors,

NEHAP was implemented as part of the National Environmental Protection Programme but self-dependent programme with close relation with that.

• London Conference, 1999Water and Health Protocol has been ratified

National Environmental Health Action Programme (NEHAP)

Goals Actions Results

to promote anenvironmentsupportinghuman healthand improvingthe healthstatus of thepopulation

assessment ofrelationships betweenenvironmental andhealth data

development ofdecision-supportingtools

recognition ofenv.health

GIS for analysis ofthe regionaldistribution ofmortality

good health riskassessmentpractice

NEHAP (2)

Goals Actions Results

encourage, supporting local initiatives

involving local self-goverments

Local Env.Health Action Programme in cities – GYŐR, PÉCS,

country-wide survey of drinking water quality of single wells

Price of drinking water /m3 since 1990

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140HUF

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

Hungary

Budapest

Water quality of individual (single) wells

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No of samples Unacceptable % Tolerable %

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NEHAP (3)

Goals Actions collaboration

Cooperationswith othersectors,ministries

Harmonization ofnational/internatl.programmes

National Programme ofEnvironmental Protection (I. – II.)

National Clean-up Programme Natl. Drinking Water amendment

Prg Natl. Food Safety Prg Natl.Waste Management Plan Natl.Committe of SD

. ECEH – Rome Office, Bonn Office

Priories of EU public health policytasks & opportunities for env.health

• Improving health informationelaboration of env.health indicators, reporting systemselaboration of env.health indicators, reporting systems

• Responding rapidly to health threats

building capacity (building capacity (e.g. improvement of e.g. improvement of laboratory methodslaboratory methods;; implementation of REHRA methodology)implementation of REHRA methodology)

• Addressing health determinants

uncertainties in risk assessment, env.health/strategic uncertainties in risk assessment, env.health/strategic impact assessment.impact assessment.

Influence of EU programmes on env. health - tasks & opportunities

EU 6. Environmental Programme

• protection of waters from pollution

• rational use of natural resources

• waste management• environmental health:environmental health:

facilitate more attention to vulnerable groups of population, especially to children;databases, guidelines, recommendations;approximation health, environmental and safety policies.

Message of Johannesburg World Conference Message of Johannesburg World Conference on SD to environmental healthon SD to environmental health

• humans are in the centre of sustainable development

• 25% of morbidity all over the word is caused by bad environmental conditions

• improve sanitation Halve, by the year 2015, the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water Aim, by 2020, to use and produce chemicals in ways that do not lead to significant adverse effects on human health and the environment.

• Renew the commitment to the sound management of chemicals and of hazardous wastes throughout their life cycle.

• reduce adverse environmental effects taking into consideration of

integrated management of poverty, environment and health.

Impacts of European Environment & Health strategy

COM(2003)338 final adopted 11 June 2003

Key elements:• SCALE (Science, Children, Awareness Raising, Legal instruments, Evaluation)

• Integrated approach• őinformation, cycle of chemicals, research, E&H concerns into other

sectoral policies, intervention,• Objectives: reduce disease burden, strenghten

Focus on children:• Childhood resp.diseases, asthma, allergia• neurodevelopmental disorders• childhood cancer• endocrine dusrupting effects

• Acceding countries

Children’s Environmental Health Action Programme

should be aimed at: • improving our understanding of the environmental

dangers threatening the lives of the children (traffic injuries, soil contamination of playgrounds, children accidents, etc.)

• having more profound knowledge of children’s diseases ( respiratory diseases, asthma, bioallergenics, etc.)

• supporting the establishment of a sound and healthy environment ( air quality, urban and rural development, etc.)

The state of children’s health is the measure of economic and social development!

MMAAKKIINNGG CCHHIILLDDRREENN’’SS EENNVVIIRROONNMMEENNTT HHEEAALLTTHHIIEERR

HHHeeeaaalllttthhhyyy ppplllaaaccceeesss: home, playground places, streets, schools

Water: improve quality of drinking, bathing, recreational water

Air: reduce traffic and industrial emission, reduce passive tobbaco smoke

Food: promote breastfeeding, adequate feeding practice, prevent chemical contamination of food

Soil: safe waste disposal

Thank you for your Thank you for your attentionattention!!