The Chamber of Deputies passed on Wednesday the draft law of the National Plan to Prevent and Combat Cancer in Romania, cleared by 260 votes „in favour” and five abstentions, according to Agerpres.

According to the bill, the plan is to be implemented between 2023 and 230 and represents the main public policy document which substantiates the prevention and combat measures of cancer at national level. The document is to be updated depending on the results obtained and in agreement with the strategic directions in the area of preventing and combating cancer, established by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and at the European Union level.

According to the draft law, all the Romanian citizens who are on Romania’s soil, having the domicile or residence in Romania, the citizens of the member states of the European Union, of the European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation, as well as foreigners and stateless persons who have their domicile or residence in Romania have the right guaranteed by the state to the services of medical, social and psychological support included in the National Plan to Prevent and Combat Cancer, such as: prevention medical services, cancer diagnostic and treatment, caretaker services, including palliative care, psycho-oncology, onconutrition and oncofertility services, social services and monthly food entitlements.

„The Health Ministry, as the central authority in the public health area, is in charge with the planning, initiation, coordination, monitoring and assessment of all necessary measures to prevent and combat cancer. The National Health Insurance House and the Finance Ministry are responsible for the fulfillment of the measures in the plan,” the normative act establishes.

Romania’s National Plan to Prevent and Combat Cancer is mainly funded by the Health Ministry, from the state budget. The amount approved annually for the funding of the national plan accounts for at least 20pct of the total funds approved for the unfolding of health programmes at national level by the Health Ministry and the National Health Insurance House, the draft law stipulates.

The law comes into force on 1 January 2023.

The Chamber of Deputies is a decision-making body in this case.

Agerpres