The Norwegian Prime Minister and The Minister of Health announced on March 21st that the Norwegian Government will initiate the work with a National Brain Plan. The strategy will be addressing the needs for more brain research, better treatment and rehabilitation of patients suffering from brain diseases, and better brain health of the general population.
The Government is concerned about the situation of patients affected by brain diseases. More and better brain research could prevent people from getting these diseases, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said, at the Government’s high level meeting on brain health on March 21st.
Last year The Minister of Health, Bent Høie commissioned Directorate of Health to make a status report on the situation of brain health in Norway. This report was published in February 2017, and it revealed severe shortcomings in the care for brain health patients. For many years Norwegian Brain Council has asked for a national brain strategy, pointing to the same findings documented in the report.
For the first time, we have made a report dedicated only to brain health. Many patients will experience improved life quality if we manage to coordinate the services better, The Minster of Health emphasized at the high level meeting.
To the meeting on brain health on March 21st, the Government had invited Norwegian brain researchers, user organizations, and patients suffering from brain diseases, such as MS and ALS. 10 out of 46 member organizations of Norwegian Brain Council were represented at the meeting. They expressed their opinions and concerns that they thought should be included in the new national brain strategy, while The Prime Minister and The Minister of Health listened carefully.
At the time being, The Norwegian Ministry of Health is in the process of establishing a mandate to Directorate of Health which will be given the task of making a National Brain Strategy. Norwegian Brain Council and its member organizations will give input to the process.
Norwegian Brain Council and Directorate of Health had a close dialogue concerning the status report on brain health. We hope that this close dialogue will continue, says Aud Kvalbein, CEO of Norwegian Brain Council to EBCs newsletter
Photo: The Government had invited about twenty participants to their high level meeting on brain health on March 21st. 10 out of 46 member organizations of Norwegian Brain Council were represented among the participants.
From the left: No. 1: The Norwegian Nobel Laureate of Medicine Edvard Moser. No. 6: Minister of Health Bent Høie. No. 12: (to the left for the lady in white) Prime Minister Erna Solberg. Just behind the lady in the wheel chair: Professor Hanne F. Harbo former Head of Board of Norwegian Brain Council. Behind her again: Henrik Peersen, Head of Board of Norwegian Brain Council.