Healthcare for children and adolescents in Poland

Abstract

Despite the constant tendency to decrease the number of births, children and adolescents account for one-fifth of the Polish population. Healthcare for children is free and it is organized similarly to the care for adult patients. In primary healthcare, children can be under the medical care of general practitioners, family physicians or pediatricians. In secondary and tertiary care, pediatricians or physicians with pediatric subspecialties provide medical services. The number of pediatricians and nurses is not sufficient and still differs from the European average. Nonetheless, population health indicators (e.g. infant mortality rate) are constantly improving, and despite the strong influence of the anti-vaccine movements, 90% of children are vaccinated according to the schedule.