The Municipality of Józsefváros is dedicated to improving the health of the district’s residents, and to reducing health inequalities.

The health of Józsefváros residents is in all of our best interests: a healthier population is more active in all areas of life, social and healthcare spendings decrease, and the community’s overall well-being and appeal improve.

The goal of the Municipality is to help district residents maintain their health and to make a healthier lifestyle accessible to everyone.

This is why the Józsefváros Health Plan and Health Strategy were developed. These outline the goals we aim to pursue and the tools we intend to use over the next four years to improve the health of Józsefváros residents.

Public Consultation on the Strategy

The strategy is based on actual local data, needs, and experiences. Drawing on research by the Budapest Institute, numerous interviews with experts, and a public survey conducted by the Office of Community Participation, the Municipality has identified the areas that require special attention.

Here you can find the summary of the public needs assessment in Hungarian:

Summary of the Healthcare Needs Assessment

Taking into account the findings of the preliminary research and the public needs assessment, a draft of the district health strategy intended for further public consultation was completed in the second half of 2025. Public and professional feedback on the document took place between December 3, 2025, and February 12, 2026, during which time people could provide feedback on specific proposed measures in the health strategy via a public questionnaire, both online and in person. In addition, on February 4, at a professional forum, invited healthcare experts helped identify priorities among the strategy’s proposed measures.

Here you can find the summary of the consultation process in Hungarian:

Summary of the Consultation on the Health Strategy

Responses to submitted proposals

The Most Important Health Challenges in the District

• Mortality rates from cardiovascular, respiratory, and cancer-related diseases are significantly higher than the national average.
• Hospital admissions due to respiratory causes are exceptionally common.
• Many residents face difficulties accessing primary care (e.g., they are not registered with a general practitioner, or their social security status is not in order).
• In certain areas, there is a shortage of capacity in specialised outpatient care (Józsefváros Szent Kozma Health Centre – JEK), which leads to reduced utilisation of services. Long wait times, a lack of available appointments, and overworked doctors are also common.
• Access to medications is not available for everyone.
• Reproductive health indicators are unfavourable (high abortion rates, low contraceptive use, frequent preterm births, and low birth weight).
• There is high demand for free screening tests, yet appointments are limited, and many people do not have access to the necessary information. As a result, many people miss out on important screenings, such as mammograms.
• Many residents have incomplete knowledge about vaccinations, and there is a lack of clear, targeted information.
• In the area of mental health, there is a growing need for psychological counselling, addiction-related and lifestyle support programmes, which are currently only available to a limited extent.

How Can the Municipality Help?

Not all healthcare institutions are directly under the jurisdiction of the Municipality, so there are areas where the scope for action is limited. However, the Józsefváros Szent Kozma Health Centre (Józsefvárosi Szent Kozma Egészségügyi Központ/JEK) and general practitioners play a key role, as the goals of the Municipality can be achieved directly with their assistance.

In implementing the strategy, the Municipality seeks to collaborate closely with all relevant stakeholders: local residents, general practitioners, the Józsefváros Szent Kozma Health Centre, the district health visitor service, other healthcare and social institutions operating in the district, as well as civil society organisations, churches, and businesses.

What Does the Strategy Contain?

The Józsefváros Health Plan and Health Strategy aims to improve the quality of life and healthy life expectancy of the district’s residents. To this end, it sets the following goals:

Increasing the Life Expectancy of Józsefváros Residents

The strategy aims to reduce the number of preventable deaths and increase the number of years lived in good health. To achieve this, the Municipality sets out the following in the strategy:

• launching targeted health communication campaigns;
• organising community health promotion programmes;
• promoting healthy eating;
• supporting health education in daycare centres, kindergartens, and schools;
• making screening days a regular occurrence;
• encouraging participation in national screening programmes;
• supporting vaccination programmes.

Management of Priority Disease Groups from a Public Health Perspective

The strategy places special emphasis on facilitating the early diagnosis of residents living with chronic diseases and supporting their treatment. To this end, the Municipality plans the following:

• promoting chronic illness risk assessment and care for chronically ill people, within primary care;
• supporting patient and support clubs, as well as self-help groups;
• introducing specialised home nursing care as a new, voluntarily undertaken municipal responsibility.

Improving Mental Health and Well-Being

Mental health in Józsefváros, like physical health, is a priority area. The strategy aims to strengthen mental well-being and support those struggling with mental health issues. To this end, the strategy makes the following commitments:

• organising community mental health programmes and raising public awareness;
• supporting mental health services in kindergartens and schools;
• strengthening psychological and psychiatric care in the district.

Promoting Reproductive and Sexual Health

The strategy aims to reduce disparities in the area of reproductive and sexual health and to promote equal access to services and information. To this end, it outlines the following necessary actions:

• expanding screening for sexually transmitted infections;
• improving access to contraception;
• providing education and counselling on sexual and reproductive health;
• supporting gynaecological care, prenatal care, and obstetric care.

Equality in Healthcare and Support for Vulnerable Groups

The strategy places special emphasis on vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, who often face greater difficulties in accessing healthcare services. To this end, the plans of the Municipality are:

• assisting with the resolution of social security status;
• coordinating social and healthcare services;
• organising targeted programmes to promote the health of elderly people;
• making healthcare services accessible;
• facilitating access for foreign clients.

Supporting and Developing the Local Healthcare System (Infrastructure, Human Resources, Quality Assurance)

The strategy also aims to improve the quality, accessibility, and efficiency of primary and outpatient care. To this end, the Municipality plans on:

• improving the infrastructure of general practicioner offices;
• supporting the capacity and operations of the Józsefváros Szent Kozma Health Centre (Józsefvárosi Szent Kozma Egészségügyi Központ/JEK);
• supporting the training and well-being of healthcare workers;
• developing a local quality assurance system for general practitioners and refining the contract model;
• hiring public health assistants;
• introducing best practices to improve the health of municipal employees;
• reevaluating the boundaries of general practitioner catchment areas;
• coordinating the professional operations of primary care and specialised outpatient care;
• organising a campaign to recruit doctors.

Environment and Health: Creating a Healthy Environment

A healthy lifestyle depends not only on individual decisions, but also on the environment in which we live. To this end, the strategy sets out the following commitments:

• improving and monitoring air quality;
• developing green spaces and improving access to them;
• promoting a healthy living environment.

Transparent monitoring of the goals and measures defined in the strategy is an important priority for the Municipality, and to this end, it is initiating the establishment of a Health Roundtable.

Here you can find the full text of the strategy in Hungarian:

Further information: