BIPAM: Coalition creates new authority for health prevention
"Prevention through education and early detection should be strengthened," stated the Minister. With BIPAM, the exchange of science, politics and practice will be promoted and prevention in the population will be reinforced, according to Lauterbach. The Minister hopes for the prevention of chronic diseases and their costly treatments from this.
The new institute will collect data on the health status of the population here, develop prevention measures and inform the citizens "clearly and understandably". The authority takes on tasks that until now were responsible for the Robert-Koch-Institute (RKI). This will focus entirely on the defense against Infectious Diseases in the future.
According to Lauterbach, the RKI and the BIPAM will "complement" each other. The goal: "a strong institute for Infectious Diseases and a strong institute for Non-Infectious Diseases", as the SPD politician had already announced at the unveiling of the plans in October.
Moreover, the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) will merge into the BIPAM. This had already been agreed upon by the parties in the traffic light coalition. Its work will begin at the BIPAM - with headquarters in Cologne and an outpost in Berlin - in January 2025.
- Minister Karl Lauterbach, from the SPD, emphasizes the importance of strengthening health prevention through education and early detection, with the support of the Federal government.
- Lauterbach believes that BIPAM, the new institute, will promote the exchange of science, politics, and practice, leading to enhanced prevention in the German population.
- The authority BIPAM will collect data, develop prevention measures, and communicate these findings to the public in a clear and understandable manner, taking over responsibilities previously held by the Robert-Koch-Institute (RKI).
- The RKI will now solely focus on combating infectious diseases, while BIPAM will address non-infectious diseases, like chronic conditions and folk diseases, including dementia.
- Europe, in particular, should benefit from Germany's efforts to promote health prevention, as its implementation can potentially reduce the burden of diseases on both national and international communities.
- The Traffic-Coalition, consisting of the SPD, Green Party, and Free Democrats, has agreed for the BZgA (Federal Centre for Health Education) to merge into BIPAM, contributing to its work in health prevention and education starting in January 2025.
