Mission

The operational directorate Public health and surveillance provides reliable, practical and impartial information on the health of the Belgian population. This epidemiology and toxicology centre studies factors that should improve health and the risks for public health. Health is not simply the fact of not being ill. Likewise, research in epidemiology is not simply about diseases and problems, but is also concerned with physical, mental and social well-being, and the factors that influence it.

Activities

The directorate Public health and surveillance informs the policy makers and population on new developments in the field of health and factors that influence public health. It examines the socio-economic factors, (un)healthy lifestyles, toxicological safety of consumer products, the environment and climate and aspects of health care organisation. In this regard, the directorate Public health and surveillance focuses particularly on:

• gaining a better understanding of known and unknown risk factors that affect health and well-being
• monitoring health problems and the spread of communicable and chronic illnesses that constitute a risk to public health
• assessing the impact of lifestyle and policy decisions on public health and the development of illnesses
• improving the quality of care
• assessing the risks of exposure of the Belgian population to chemical substances and radiation
• coordinating health information in Belgium

Clients and forms of collaboration

The directorate of Public health and surveillance works with all governments in Belgium. For instance, the Health Survey is carried out on behalf of the federal and community ministers responsible for public health. The directorate collaborates closely with networks of care providers, including hospitals, laboratories and a network of GPs that have monitored public health for more than thirty years. In addition, the directorate also enters into agreements with various Belgian and foreign universities and European institutions. Internationally, the directorate is the point of contact for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).