Poland

The Polish Healthy Lungs Coalition was established by the Polish Respiratory Society in December 2022, bringing together five signatories from the pulmonary care sector joined together: the National Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, the Polish Respiratory Society, the Polish Society of Pediatric Pneumonology, the National Consultant for Lung Diseases and the National Consultant for Lung Diseases in Children. It joined the IRC in 2023.

The coalition was formed in response to the urgent need to improve the availability and quality of lung disease diagnosis in Poland. Its main goal is to strengthen the systemic aspects of diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases, both from the perspective of the patient and the healthcare system.

Key focus areas include lung cancer, COPD, rehabilitation, smoking and new nicotine product cessation, air pollution, and the transformation of tuberculosis hospitals towards broader tasks including pulmonary rehabilitation.

Current initiatives and upcoming milestones:

• Building and implementing a lung cancer screening programme
• New training and courses on lung diseases, including Polish Respiratory Society (PTChP) courses
• Regular engagement with parliamentary teams for lung diseases, lifestyle diseases, and science and innovation in healthcare
• Cooperation with the WHO on TB
• Developing national recommendations and standards
• Improving vaccination rates among patients with respiratory diseases
• Striving to include lung disease specialisation as a priority specialty
• Announcement of 2026 as the Year of COPD in Poland, with invitation of co-coalition partners

• Lung cancer
• Tuberculosis
• Vaccination
• COPD
• Paediatric lung diseases

Polskie Towarzystwo Chorób Płuc- Polish Respiratory Society

Instytut Gruźlicy i Chorób Płuc – Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases

Polskie Towarzystwo Pneumonologii Dziecięcej- Polish Society of Paediatric Pneumonology,

Konsultant Krajowy w dziedzinie chorób płuc- National Consultant in the field of Lung Diseases

Konsultant Krajowy w dziedzinie chorób płuc dzieci- National Consultant in the field of Children’s Lung Diseases

Fundacja TO SIĘ LECZY (Kampania Rak Płuca – To się leczy) – “To się leczy” Foundation

Klub Torakochirurgów Polskich (1983)- Polish Thoracic Surgeons Club

Polska Grupa Raka Płuca (2002)- Polish Lung Cancer Group

Polskie Towarzystwo Patologów – Polish Society of Pathologists

PTBS – Polskie Towarzystwo Badań nad Snem- Polish Sleep Research Society

Polskie Towarzystwo Wspierania Chorych na IPF- Polish Society for the Support of Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary FibKonsultant Krajowy w dziedzinie geriatrii- National Consultant in Geriatric Medicine

Konsultant Krajowy w dziedzinie medycyny rodzinnej- National Consultant in the field of Family Medicine

Polskie Towarzystwo Mukowiscydozy- Polish Cystic Fibrosis Society

PTA – Polskie Towarzystwo Alergologiczne- Polish Society of Allergology

Polskie Towarzystwo Medycyny Rodzinnej- Polish Society of Family Medicine

Polska Federacja Stowarzyszeń Chorych na Astmę, Alergię i POChP- Polish Federation of Asthma, Allergy and COPD AssocFundacja OPZCI – Ogólnopolski Program Zwalczania Chorób Infekcyjnych – Foundation – National Infectious Disease ControPolskie Stowarzyszenie Osób Chorych Na LAM- Polish Association of People with LAM (Lymphangioleiomyomatosis)

Stowarzyszenie CEESTAHC – Central and Eastern European Society of Technology Assessment in Health Care