Public Health Service of the Czech Republic after the Velvet Revolution 1989

Abstract

SUMMARY Public Health Service of the Czech Republic was established in 1952 as a network for supervision of healthy living conditions. It gradually developed and was of considerable importance notwithstanding the limits of a socialist state. In November 1989 the Velvet Revolution took place; a dramatic but nonviolent overthrow that eliminated the communist regime. For Public Health Ser - vice it meant a start of a period of discussions about the further focus on the work and about new activities especially in prima - ry disease prevention and health promotion and maintenance of the existing state health supervision. At the same time, changes in the network of public health facilities took place to ensure compatibility with the reorganized state system. Works were in pro - gress on new legislation and on programmes of primary prevention and health promotion. Public health authorities at the same time solved many problems which disturbed people and were a remnant of the past regime. The years after the Velvet Revolution were an unrepeatable period of social and professional activity in exemplary democratic process.