At the sitting held on 10 February, the Committee on Health and the Family analysed its activities in the period from 21 July to the end of November 2008. The Committee sitting was chaired by Dr Paja Momcilov.

The Committee Chairman deemed the work and tasks planned for this period successfully accomplished and reminded all present that the Committee members visited Banja Luka and the Military Medical Academy.

At the sitting, Chairman Momcilov outlined the Committee’s work plan and programme for the next regular session of the National Assembly. Concerning it, he pointed out that, in addition to its legislative activity, the Committee needs to focus more on following and monitoring the implementation of the health policy.

According to this plan, the Committee will take part in the public debate on the primary health care strategy, as well as in the public debate on the draft laws on: infertility treatments, transfusions, organ transplantation and tissue and cell transplantation. Special attention will be paid to the issues of the state of health and health care for women, children and young people particularly under economic crisis conditions. They will also discuss the health care for the elderly under economic crisis conditions.

Protection of the family in Serbia regarding boosting birth rate will be among the topics on the Committee’s agenda.

The Committee will also discuss the Proposal of the Decision on the election of members of the Health Council of Serbia, problems in the work of chambers of health professionals, non-government organisations and citizens’ health care. In the discussion it was proposed to include a debate on addictions into the work programme.

At the sitting, it was agreed that the Committee members visit the health centre in Valjevo in mid February.

The Committee members were briefed on the numerous petitions submitted to the body by citizens and organisations.