SAVEZ

Project title:

Establishment of the Slovak Public Health Association 
Acronym:

SAVEZ
Funding:

EUPHA / OSI: Project to Support Public Health Associations as Key Links Between Government, the Scientific Community and the Population in Central and Eastern European Countries, Agreement No. 14836)
Agreement number Slovakia: NOS-OSF G/146/03/14836

Web-site:

N/A

Project coordinator:

Slovak Public Health Association
Dr. Zuzana Katreniakova, Dr Iveta Rajnicova-Nagyova
Tel: +421 902 240 300, +421 234 3394
E-mail: zk3@netkosice.sk, iveta.rajnicova@upjs.sk
 All partners:

EUPHA - European Public Health Association
OSI - Open Society Institute
NOS-OSF - Nadacia otvorenej spolocnosti / Open Society Foundation

NPHF - Netherlands Public Health Federation
Duration of the project: 

05/2003 – 12/2005

PROJECT SUMMARY

The Slovak Public Health Association (SAVEZ) started the project in May 2003 and finished in December 2005. The twinning partner of SAVEZ was the Netherlands Public Health Federation (NPHF).

 Aims

1. To establish a multidisciplinary umbrella organisation with a horizontal approach
     in the field of public health

2. To develop a link between public health professionals and general population

3. To become a strong body in influencing the public health policy

 

The selected methods to achieve these aims were: education, training and research; projects; working with media, advocacy and lobbying.

 

Results

The main task of this project was the creation of the Slovak Public Health Association. This required the introduction of the notion of public health associations in the country, extensive communication with the government to comply with the rules and communication with all possible partners. SAVEZ was officially established on 17 June 2003 as a civic association. The first General Assembly of SAVEZ took place on 5 September 2003. After that, efforts were put into creating a clear corporate identity for SAVEZ (logo, website – www.savez.sk). At the same time, several initiatives for projects were started. One was the MATRA project application, for which the aim was to acquire funds for dissemination and propagation of the ideas and activities of SAVEZ. Even though the application was rejected, it provided a good experience in how to apply for projects/funding. In November 2003, the first workshop was organised to clearly state the objectives of SAVEZ. The outcome of this workshop was reflected in the newly prepared 1st Public Health Act in Slovakia. In September 2004, the stay of three SAVEZ representatives in the Netherlands was realised. The NPHF introduced them the system and several organisations working in public health in the Netherlands. On October 21-23, 2004, the first national public health conference “Education, research and practice of public health in Slovakia” was organised by SAVEZ. There were 8 keynote speakers (the twinning partner s included), 19 oral and 16 poster presentations and around 80 participants.  From November, several SAVEZ members are active within the online communication irregular meetings available throughout the University of Iowa (United States). SAVEZ is also active in project applications, including:

-      the SPHERE project together with EUPHA . This project aims to strengthen public health research in the European Region.

-      the PHARE project, for which an application to the project on Slovak public health status and forecasts report was sent to the Ministry of Health on October 19, 2004, but was not accepted.

-      two applications were prepared to the Ministry of Health for realising Health Impact Assessment workshops.

 

Related Publications:

 

http://www.eupha.org/documents/publications/eupha_oslo_book_chapter_29_OSI-EUPHA_2005.pdf

 

http://eurpub.oxfordjournals.org/content/16/3/243.full

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