7.8 Current debates and reforms
The Ministry of Health proposed adoption of a National Strategy for E-health. This Strategy is expected to provide better and more efficient protection of a large number of population with the help of information and communication technologies, as well as to provide clear guidelines for the development of the Macedonian E health system in the next 5 years. According to the Health Strategy of the Republic of North Macedonia 2021-2030 (Стратегија за здравство на Република Северна Македонија 2021-2030), the National Strategy for e - Health 2021-2026 is ready to be formalized by the Management Committee and handed over to the Government. At present (December 2023), there is no public information available regarding the adoption of this strategy.
In addition, as part of the Western Balkans Youth Lab Project, a three-year EU funded (1,5 million EUR) and RCC implemented project that kicked-off in January 2020, which aims to provide opportunities for youth to participate in decision-making. The project is covering the Western Balkans Six economies. The Regional Youth Meeting in June 2021 gathered 17 leadership representatives of National Youth Council and Youth Umbrella Organisation from WB6 who decided that the topic of the Second Youth Policy Lab is to be mental health.
The Regional Pool of Experts dealing with the issue of mental health made 13 regional recommendations envisaging the ways to raise mental health awareness, support measures and communicate the importance of prevention of mental health of young people. Tangible results focused on Youth Mental Health strategies, Youth Components within Mental Health Action Plan, Coordination Bodies, Framework for development and implementation of promotional and preventive activities, and amendments were presented at the Final Conference on Mental Health in Belgrade in June 2023.
Within the framework of the cooperation between the RCC, the Government of North Macedonia and the NMSM, commitments are continuously made for raising awareness of the benefits of strengthening the mental health of young people, in order promotion and support of the well-being of young people as the top priority of every society and respecting the best interests of young people.
As for that, huge success has been made when in January 2024, National strategy for mental health of young people 2024-2026 was adopted, at the 221st session of the Government, on the proposal of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy.
The Strategy is adopted for a period of three years, that is, from the period of 2024-2026. The strategy also contains an Action Plan that provides measures and activities, executors, i.e. responsible institutions/organizations, dynamics and terms of realization. In that direction, every responsible institution/organization and competent authority, necessary is to predict and plan the activities and frame them in the annual budget planning through the annual programs.
The goal of the National Youth Strategy for Youth Mental 2024-2026 is to contribute to the improvement of the mental health of young people, since the well-being of young people will be an active driver of social development, the government press service informs, noting that the Strategy is guided by Agenda 2030 and the general principles of the Goals. for sustainable development of the UN.