"Instead of going to a rally, go get tested" - RaknRoll Foundation appeals to presidential candidates to pay attention to prevention issues
The Rak'n'Roll Foundation has appealed to candidates for the President of the Republic of Poland to suspend their election campaigns for one day and check their health. It has also suggested that candidates include in their election programs the so-called Day on U, i.e. a fully paid, universally available day off, which an employee will be able to spend on basic medical tests.
- We demand the suspension of the presidential campaign for 1 day. Give it to a more important cause - the health of Poles. Instead of going to a rally, go to a medical facility. Instead of researching public opinion, research yourself. Instead of answering journalists' questions, answer doctors' questions. Suspend the campaign for one day, Dzień na U - we read in the appeal of the Rak'n'Roll foundation, which encourages candidates for the President of the Republic of Poland to undergo preventive tests.
The mere persuasion of those running for the highest office in the country is not the only goal of the Foundation. "A Day at U" is an initiative that it has been promoting for years. It concerns the introduction of legislative changes so that every employee can take advantage of a "Day at U", i.e. a fully paid day off, which would be used for preventive tests.
- This is a really serious topic that can help us all simply have a better state that makes it easier for us to access better health care - said a representative of the Rak'n'Roll Foundation at a press conference.
The introduction of such a day, as emphasized by the Foundation's activists, would reduce the costs of healthcare in Poland, and would also provide a better chance of detecting the disease at an early stage and increasing the chances of curing it.
- Access to preventive examinations should not be a luxury. It is a fundamental right of every citizen, which is why it is the duty of the head of state to make every effort to ensure that prevention takes its rightful place - both in the public and systemic debate. We must remember that investing in prevention is a benefit for the entire society in the long term. Thanks to regular examinations, vaccinations, but also taking care of a healthy lifestyle, we are happier, we live longer and better. Prevention also allows for a significant reduction in the costs associated with treatment and reduction of losses resulting from employee absenteeism - explains Marta Bednarek from the Rak'n'Roll Foundation. Win Life!, the initiator of the "Dzień na U" campaign.
Therefore, the Foundation appeals to the presidential candidates, in addition to performing preventive tests themselves, to take seriously the idea of introducing "Day on U" and including this goal in their election programs. "The next edition of the "Day on U" campaign is to mobilize candidates running in the presidential elections to join the state's activities in the field of promoting prevention," we read in the press release.
According to the CBOS study "Health and health-promoting behaviors of Poles", conducted in September 2024, only about one third of adults perform preventive medical examinations or visit the dentist more often than once a year. The most common explanation for why they do not do it is lack of time. Therefore, according to the Rak'n'Roll Foundation, the answer to this problem would be to introduce "Day at U".
"Dzień na U" is a campaign initiated in 2019 by the Rak'n'Roll Foundation. Wygraj Życie!, encouraging regular preventive examinations. Since 2022, DnU also functions as an employee program - an additional, paid day off for preventive care. The benefit is already used by about 50,000 employees in over 90 companies and institutions.
Updated: 06/05/2025 12:50
politykazdrowotna
