Annual report 2008

EuroHeart

The EuroHeart project has been continued with the leadership of the European Heart Network and the European Society of Cardiology. Thirty-two European heart foundation and society of cardiology contribute to the success of this project, with co-funding from the European Commission. The three year long project aims to provide adequate answers to the burden of cardiovascular diseases, and to set clear goals for political decision makers and public health authorities.

The EuroHeart project has 5 major objectives:

• Launch of the Hungarian Heart Health Charter
• Map and analyze national plans, policies and measures impacting on cardiovascular health promotion and cardiovascular disease prevention
• Raise public awareness on issues concerning cardiovascular disease in women
• Improve prevention practices at primary care level
• Implement and adapt European guidelines on CVD prevention to national situations

The project, launched in April 2007, is the largest convention ever in Europe of heart foundations and professional societies, together with a high-level political support for the first time. Hungarian National Heart Foundation (HNHF) expects that appropriate and adequate measures will be taken in Hungary and in Europe as well, proportionate to the immense burden of circulatory diseases.

On 16 September 2008 HNHF organized the second meeting of the national signatories of the European Heart Health Charter. The signatories accepted a declaration calling for the submission of the law protecting non-smokers without delay. Two new signatories joined the 18 most important professional and non-governmental organisation sharing a common interest in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The Hungarian signatories of the Heart Charter supported the introduction of colour-coded traffic light system in the current reform of food labelling.

On 17-18 January the European Society of Cardiology organized the European Summit of Cardiovascular Prevention. Hungary was represented by the Hungarian Society of Atherosclerosis and by us.

World Heart Day

On the last day of September Hungarian Society of Cardiology and Hungarian National Heart Foundation (HNHF) again held the main event on World Heart Day in Budapest's Városliget. The event was the most successful ever, attracting more than 10 000 participants. On our World Heart Day website, launched for this occasion, visitors could read about programs in other cities also. World Heart Day events were held in 6 other cities also with our support. The cities receiving a grant were: Debrecen, Nagykáta, Szombathely, Komárom, Kecskemét, Gyula.

Every minute counts

We continued our program tackling sudden cardiac death, started in 2003, with a focus on ways of avoidance and adequate therapy. We aim to establish a network of appropriate equipment and training in Hungary in line with the international guidelines. The only way to treat sudden cardiac death is early defibrillation, with the involvement of numerous groups of lay people and education of the resuscitation protocol. A major media response was triggered by the release of our joint position paper with the Hungarian Society of Cardiology after the sudden cardiac death of Olympic Gold Medallist György Kolonics.

We started mapping of publicly accessible automated defibrillators in our National Automated Defibrillator Database.

Monitoring of national and EU developments

Reform of food labelling
European Commission has started the revision of community law concerning food labelling. The proposal of the European Commission is a major leap forward towards the long-standing request of NGOs to place a simplified front-of-pack label about nutrients on food products. However, our Foundation stresses that food nutrient labels should be comprehensive. It should have an element of simplified front-of-pack labels with the four key nutrients so that the consumer is empowered to choose the healthiest product at a glance. We informed the Hungarian MEPs involved in the decision, national authorities and the general public about our position.

School fruit and vegetable scheme
Children consume less sweet refreshments, candies, chips, families experience better eating habits in a number of old members of the European Union due to existing school fruit and vegetable schemes. European Commission has submitted a proposal in the EU Council of Agriculture and Fishery aiming to redistribute a part of market withdrawals in schools and community institutions for free. The Heart Foundation approached the Hungarian Minister of Agriculture to seek support of the proposal in order to provide a new opportunity for our children for a healthier live.

International organisations, relations

European Heart Network
We participated in the annual conference of the European Heart Network on 21-23 May. The capacity building workshop "Planning and organising for heart foundations" organized by the EHN for the Central and Eastern European Region was held in Slovenia on 6-7 February with our participation.

Heart Group of Members of the European Parliament
Members of the EP Heart Group have discussed the current reform of food labelling. HNHF, among other heart foundations devoted to reduce cardiovascular diseases participated the session. Of Hungarian MEPs Zsolt Becsey (European People's Party), Magda Kósáné Kovács (European Socialist Party) and Péter Olajos (European People's Party) applied for membership.

Statement on innovation an global health care
Our Foundation supports WHO's efforts aiming to develop a global strategy on global healthcare innovation and on access to healthcare services. We believe it is substantial that WHO would not continue it's efforts on amendment proposals on international patient's protection and healthcare research and development so long as groups of patient representatives do not have an opportunity gain detailed information and direct involvement in the process.

Further activities

Website
Our www.mnsza.hu website has been further developed. The number of visitors have increased 200 percent in 2008.

OMKER screening
We have provided the professional background and evaluation of the cardiovascular screening tests carried out in the OMKER network of retail outlets.

Smoking
The fight against smoking, the most important avoidable risk factor, is of great importance for us. The Hungarian Society of Cardiology, the Hungarian Society of Pulmonologists and the Hungarian Heart Foundation issued a joint declaration on 30 May 2008, World No Tobacco Day, calling for the reduction of smoking and the protection for non-smokers.

We participated in the social debate on curbing smoking in public areas. HNHF, together with other non-governmental organisations, approached the president of the Hungarian Chamber of Sciences following the press presentation of a report backing the arguments of the tobacco industry. The president of the Chamber, on our request, has immediately distanced himself from the contradictory report.

On 20 November 2008, Smokeout Day we called the public attention on the economical damages caused by smoking.

We have successfully acted, together with other organisations, against a proposal for amendment of the law ruling the advertisement of tobacco products in the Parliament.

Support of professional work in cardiac catheter centers
Twelve heart centers received a grant to support professional activities by the decision of our Board.

Postgraduate training
Series of presentations were held in continued medical education of primary care physicians titled "Early high dose statin therapy in acute coronary syndrome". Presentations were held at 60 locations.

Research Grant
Our foundation provided a grant for the prospective research project SZIVEREPID, launched by the vascular working group of the Hungarian Society of Hypertension. The research is aimed at the epidemiological study of individuals with moderate cardiovascular risk in the Hungarian population. The grant will be used for the development of a national database for results of arterial stiffness measurements, and the study of the feasibility of using arterial stiffness as an independent cardiovascular prognostic risk factor.

Other
We participated as exhibitors on the annual Scientific Congress of the Hungarian Society of Cardiology. We provided financial support for the development of the Hungarian Society of Cardiology website. We provided support for the organization of Cardiology Days for the Youth.


© MNSZA
2009-06-19 | Refreshed: 2010-11-10 18:26