- The State Public Health Agency is strengthening the health system to anticipate crises and improve equity.
- It coordinates health surveillance, risk analysis, and comprehensive public health policies under the "One Health" principle.
- Its structure will be autonomous, with its own financing and governing bodies also composed of the autonomous communities.
- The final approval marks a turning point in the prevention and preparation for health emergencies.
With the recent publication in the Official State Gazette, the State Agency for Public Health (AESAP) It becomes one of the most significant projects designed to strengthen the national health system. The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need for an agile, prepared, and coordinated organization that can react to any health threat, serving as a spearhead for surveillance, prevention, and response to health emergencies.
AESAP emerged not only as a reaction to the lessons of the recent health crisis, but as a strategic commitment aligned with European requirements regarding prevention, risk analysis, and collective protection. Its mission goes far beyond simple reform.: This involves the creation of an independent engine, with its own structure and competencies, that aims to anticipate and manage any situation that could impact public health in Spain.
Objectives and founding principles of the Agency
The essential purpose of AESAP is Strengthen the State's capacity to improve well-being and health equity, guaranteeing protection against any health risk and threat. Therefore, the new organization will always act under the principles of 'One Health' (One health) and 'Health in all Policies', integrating human, animal, and environmental health into all its initiatives and responses. To learn more about how public health can be strengthened, you can read this article on the relationship between human health and the environment.
Its main functions include: coordination and supervision of the Public Health Surveillance Network, the elaboration of annual reports on the state of population health, monitoring well-being and social determinants, as well as promoting research and official statistics in collaboration with other administrations and organizations.
Structure, organization and roadmap
The Agency will be associated with the Ministry of Health but will have its own legal personality and functional autonomy. Governing Council —which will include representatives from all autonomous communities proposed by the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System—will be responsible for appointing management, based on criteria of merit, equality, and relevant professional experience in the public sector.
These bodies will define the internal structure, governance mechanisms and strategic planning. AESAP's management must submit its annual reports. action plans, general activity report and the draft budget, in addition to assuming responsibility for reporting on its management to the Interterritorial Council of the NHS. To learn how health policies are managed, we recommend visiting mental health initiatives in Catalonia.
AESAP's funding will come mainly from the State Budget, along with other revenues, European funds, or resources derived from collaborations and services to other entities. The regulatory statute itself will be approved within six months of the law's entry into force, also by royal decree, officially establishing its powers and definitive composition.
Technical competencies and key functions
From its inception, AESAP will be responsible for coordinate epidemiological surveillance and anticipate potential health alerts. It must design emergency response plans, advising on and evaluating health decisions that may have a statewide impact.
The body will also take charge of identify and analyze environmental risks, monitor the social determinants of health, and ensure effective communication with citizens in times of crisis. Collaboration with other state, regional, and local centers, as well as with international organizations, will also be encouraged.
One of the pillars of the Agency will be the multidisciplinary approach, bringing together diverse professional and scientific profiles under a single structure to comprehensively address threats—including those arising from climate change, zoonoses, and emerging diseases—thus ensuring greater national preparedness for unexpected events.
Legal framework and political context of its approval
The legislative process leading to the creation of AESAP has been marked by intense debate and consensus. The idea for its implementation dates back to the 2011 General Public Health Law, although its practical implementation was delayed until the COVID-19 crisis forced the project to be revived. Parliamentary votes, amendments from various political groups, and conflicting views on powers have dominated the process, especially regarding the role that the autonomous communities should play. If you want to understand the importance of the legal framework in health, review the role of the legal framework in public health.
The final result has allowed to articulate an Agency with maximum technical independence and flexibility in its operation, endowed with its own assets and subject to control and transparency mechanisms, both at the national level and through integration into European emergency and health surveillance networks.
Impact on the healthcare system and citizens
The launch of AESAP represents a Historic breakthrough for preparedness, prevention, and response to health crisesWith its cross-cutting vision and firm commitment to the 'One Health' principle, Spain is improving its capacity for anticipation and technical coordination, strengthening resilience not only against pandemics but also against any threat that may affect public health. If you'd like to learn more about how social media influences public health, you can consult climate conspiracies and misinformation.
The Agency will also be key in the modernization of early warning systems, the integration of information between administrations, and the training of professionals, aligning the national strategy with the main European guidelines on health security and defense. Also, in relation to public health training, it is advisable to review initiatives to improve mental health and well-being.
This organization seeks to strengthen the capacity of the health system, increasing the efficiency of emergency management and protecting public health throughout the country.
