President Klaus Iohannis said that health is not and should never be an electoral stake or an opportunity for demagoguery and political opportunism, showing that he will get involved every time he feels he has to in rectifying wrongly managed situations, according to Agerpres.

„Health is not and should never be an electoral stake or an occasion for demagoguery and political opportunism. The state of health of a nation is an indisputable vector for progress and, from such perspective, it is necessary that public policies in this field be well founded. I can assure you that I will get involved, whenever I feel I have in rectifying wrongly managed situations that endanger Romania’s achieving its development objectives. Today’s moment is a very good example of sustained efforts leading to the implementation of commitments. I am confident that, although the results will not appear overnight, we can succeed together, in partnership, through a national effort, to improve public health,” Iohannis told a ceremony at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace for the promulgation of a law approving a national plan to prevent and combat cancer.

He appreciated the way in which authorities, specialists and patients collaborated for the completion of the national plan to prevent and combat cancer, adding that it is a standard of good practices that deserves to be multiplied not only in healthcare, but also in many other areas.

„Regarding the implementation of the national plan to prevent and combat cancer, we are under an obligation to act now, on behalf of all those who have lost the battle with this disease and those who today face a dramatic diagnosis. There are remarkable advances in medical science; there are state-of-the-art technologies that transform cancer into a manageable disease. Romanians have the right to such innovations of the present day,” said Iohannis.

He added that the law promulgated on Wednesday puts the fundamental right to healthcare into practice.

„The relevant players, in partnership with the academic community and the private sector, have to identify solutions, to allow wide access to appropriate therapy options.”

Iohannis added that action only on the clinical component will not be able to significantly influence the statistics on cancer mortality and morbidity.

He showed that the European Commission’s 2021 report on the State of Health in the European Union speaks volumes about the situation in Romania, which ranks third in terms of preventable mortality.

„Nearly half of the deaths in 2019 can be attributed to behavioural risks, including smoking, unhealthy diet, alcohol consumption and low physical activity. Environmental factors, such as air pollution, also contribute to a considerable number of deaths.”

Iohannis urged the participants in attendance, which included Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca, initiators of the law, healthcare officials, presidential and state advisers, to take sustained action in promoting a unified healthcare prevention and education policy.

„The role of the civil society is essential in supporting the official efforts to increase the level of health literacy. Access to reliable information can be lifesaving, guiding the patient towards the early detection of diseases and appropriate treatments. At the same time, resources under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan provide an extraordinary opportunity for important investment in the fight against cancer. Be efficient and use these funds to their maximum potential!,” concluded Iohannis.

On Wednesday, Iohannis promulgated a law approving Romania’s national plan to prevent and combat cancer.

Agerpres