Archive: Society | Health Health
Health insurer counting its losses as government moves to scrap costly and inefficient electronic health records project
The Czech government has announced its decision to dump a costly electronic
health records project launched ten years ago. The project which was to
facilitate communication between doctors regarding treatment of individual
patients failed to get off the ground properly and was frequently
criticized for lack of transparency. More
Czechs top global addictions index, says Bloomberg - nonsense, say health workers
The news agency Bloomburg has given the Czech Republic the inglorious
distinction of first place on its Global Vice Index – a combined list of
alcohol, drug, cigarette and gambling prevalence in 57 countries. While
Czech primacy in beer consumption may be incontestable, the index also
cited the country as 12th in the world in gambling, 5th in cigarette
smoking and 2nd on the planet in drug use. What’s more, the amalgamated
information from the World Health Organisation, the UN Office on Drugs and
Crime and others, gave the Czech Republic a damning six point lead on the
second most depraved country, Slovenia. Humbug, say public health workers,
among them Dr. Tomáš Zábranský from the Centre of Addictology. More
Major health care reforms take effect
Major changes to the health care system in the Czech Republic came about
this week when the government’s reform package took effect. Called the
biggest reform in the last 45 years, the aim is a redefinition of how
health care services are provided, and the role of the state, the facility
and the patient therein. More
Study: Obesity, smoking and drug abuse on the rise among Czech adolescents
Czech researchers from the University of Olomouc made a significant
contribution to the latest Health Behavior of School-Aged Children Research
Study. Sadly, its conclusions point to a worrying trend: Czech adolescents,
and their counterparts across Europe, are living an increasingly sedentary
lifestyle. As a result, obesity, drug abuse and smoking among those aged 18
and under are on the rise. We spoke to one of the Czech researchers
involved in the international study, Michal Kalman. More
Czech team designs computerized playground
Getting youngsters to play outside on a sunny day is an increasingly
difficult task. Most parents now find it near impossible to pry their
children away from their computers and compared to the wonders of virtual
reality kids no longer find outdoor activities as attractive. Czech
designer Pavel Tuma and his team have now unveiled a revolutionary 5-D
playground that aims to change that. More
Survey shows drinking among 16-year-olds on rise
The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) has
found that the number of 16-year-olds in the Czech Republic who drink beer
or hard liquor on a regular basis has gone up. Back in 1995, 14 percent of
the country’s sixteen-year-olds drank at least three times a month, but
last year the percentage moved up to 20. By contrast, marijuana use
dropped, if only slightly. More
MPs complete legislation aimed at legalizing cannabis for medical purposes
A group of Czech MPs from all of the parties in the Chamber of Deputies has
completed legislation which could legalise the use of cannabis in the Czech
Republic for medical purposes. Currently, thousands of sufferers from
debilitating diseases such as Parkinson’s, Lyme borreliosis and multiple
sclerosis, have been forced to break the law to obtain marijuana to help
ease their pain, a situation which could soon change if the bill passes in
the lower house. According to reports, the medical use of cannabis in the
Czech Republic could be legal within the year. More
Brain drain from Czech hospitals continues
Efforts to stem the brain drain from Czech hospitals are proving harder
than expected. The number of doctors who quit their jobs in search of
higher salaries and better work opportunities abroad in 2011 is the highest
in the country’s modern history. More
Growing fears over faulty French breast implants
Czech health institutions say they are getting dozens of concerned calls
from women with silicone breast implants who fear they may be at health
risk in connection with the scandal surrounding faulty French implants
exported to 65 countries worldwide. It has been confirmed that around 2,000
of the risky industrial-grade silicone implants were delivered to Czech
clinics between 2007 and 2010 when the scandal surfaced. Some clients are
already demanding repeat surgery whether or not their doctors advise it. More
Injured Libyans to receive treatment in Prague hospitals
A Czech military plane brought five injured Libyans to Prague for treatment
on Monday night. All are in need of surgery which overcrowded hospitals in
their homeland are unable to provide. An appeal from Libya for European
countries to help treat their wounded has led to the Czech government
extending its Medevac aid programme for children to adults with serious
medical problems. More
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