The Council of Ministers has approved the bill creating the State Public Health Agency (AESAP) which, at the proposal of the Ministry of Health, will serve to monitor, identify and evaluate the health status of the population, as well as recognizing the problems, threats or risks that may arise in terms of public health, paying special attention to health inequalities.
AESAP objectives
The objectives that the new AESAP will pursue are:
- The surveillance, identification and evaluation of the health status of the population and its determinants, as well as the problems, threats and risks in terms of public health, paying special attention to social inequalities in health.
- Public information and communication about the health of the population and the risks that may affect it.
- The coordination of preparation and response activities in the face of crises and health emergencies in line with the National Security Strategy.
- The reinforcement of coordination with the public health services and the assistance services of the autonomous communities and cities of Ceuta and Melilla to achieve the highest degree of protection and gain in health of the population.
- The reinforcement of capacities, guidance and support for the exercise of public health actions of public administrations and civil society, with special attention to the social determinants of health and social inequalities in health, among others, through advice and the formulation of technical and scientific proposals regarding the promotion and protection of health and prevention of disease; the evaluation and monitoring of the health results of health policies and strategies; participation in the development of public health interventions; the promotion of training, research and innovation in public health, aimed at generating, exchanging and exploiting knowledge; as well as the strengthening and promotion of technical-operational cooperation between all actors who carry out functions in public health.
‘One Health’
The AESAP will promote multidisciplinary teams that work with a holistic and transdisciplinary vision of health through the ‘One Health’ approach.
In this way, it will cooperate with civil society and public administrations, in particular, with those competent in animal health, plant health, environmental protection and food safety, to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, reducing the burden of diseases, providing strategic guidance and technical assistance, building capacity, strengthening operational research, promoting cooperation of all parties and improving cross-sector collaboration.
Share data
The bill also provides for the obligation to provide data to the AESAP by all public administrations, institutions, entities and organizations of the public and private sector, as well as natural and legal persons, especially those necessary to evaluate the health status of the population, perform public health monitoring and surveillance functions, as well as early detection and evaluation of health risks.
