31. 05. 2013
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Statement of plenipotentiary for Roma communities Peter Pollák on the activities of community workers in health education

Health condition of inhabitants of marginalized Roma settlements rapidly deteriorates compared to major population due to low standard of living, personal hygiene and lack of access to drinking water. The most common diseases in Roma population are infectious diseases, threatening the health of other members of community, but because of its high infectivity also other population.
Considering these reasons, the state have to ensure in hazardous marginalized localities the performance of auxiliary professions such as teachers, field social workers, police specialists, as well as community workers in the field of health education.
Similarly, we propose more effective functioning of existing health assistance, including organizational improvement and training for proffesion through education of community workers in the field of health education.
Office of the plenipotentiary therefore participates in the activities of the Platform for support of health of disadvantaged groups, which brings together 13 organizations with common goal: to improve health condition in settlements and to prepare Proposition for stabilization of program for supporting the health of disadvantaged groups in cooperation with representatives of MZ SR, Office of the public health, MPSVaR and others.