2. OBJECTIVES AND FOCUS OF THE MONITORING SYSTEM |
The aim of the Monitoring System is to provide high quality background data for decision making by the national and local authorities in the fields of health care policy, health risk management and control, and environmental protection. These data will be relied upon in the specification of legislative measures, establishment and adjustment of pollutant limits and informing the interested public. The major objectives of the Monitoring System are to study and to assess time series of the selected environmental quality indicators and population health indicators, to determine levels of population exposure to environmental contaminants and to estimate subsequent health effects and risks. These comprehensive data are also an information source for other countries on health of the Czech population and risks from environmental pollution in the Czech Republic.
The results obtained for the monitored localities in individual periods are crucial in creating time series of data on health and environmental pollution. Systematic assessment of the resulting data series isrelevant to the identification of long-term or seasonal trends as a background for possible recommendations and proposals of measures to be taken.
The Monitoring System is consistent with the general principles of any monitoring. This means that:
In 2005, the Monitoring System involved the following eight subsystems (projects):
With the progressive development of the Monitoring System, specialized studies were designed in agreement with Resolution No. 369/1991 of the Government of the Czech Republic. These studies extend the existing monitoring results and deal with issues lying beyond the framework of the basic tasks of the Monitoring System, but whose solution is necessary for the monitoring activities to continue. The results are being published in the form of either monitoring reports or scientific papers.