BRATISLAVA, December 7, (WEBNOVINY) — State-run hospitals across Slovakia returned to standard regime as of midweek after the protest of their doctors ended this weekend. The head of the Medical Trade Unions Association (LOZ) Marian Kollar told a news conference on Wednesday that at this moment all doctors should be in hospitals. „Beginning today, the situation in Slovak hospitals has been fully stabilized,“ he stated. Kollar believes that Slovakia saw this type of protest with collective resignation notices submitted for the first and last time. “I believe that no government will ever underestimate dialogue with doctors anymore and will not allow such situation to reoccur,” he stated. According to the trade union boss all doctors who wanted have returned to hospitals to their original posts. However, several dozen refused to return.
Kollar says that trade unionists fulfilled what they pledged in the memorandum signed by both sides, i.e. that they will be back in hospitals as soon as possible after it is signed. “On the other hand, I believe that all our requirements, just as we have agreed will be fulfilled,” said Kollar. Doctors are confident that neither MPs nor legislative barriers will prevent the fulfillment of doctors’ demands. He underscored that they will be thoroughly observing attitudes of individual political parties. “Because, unfortunately, already now some MPs doubt the memorandum and do not consider it biding,” said Kollar. Doctors however believe that the first legislative measure from the memorandum will be prepared by December 26 at the latest.
Doctors underscored at their news conference midweek that they came up with their requirements for the first time in February and thus Health Minister Ivan Uhliarik had nine months to solve them. Kollar said that they registered certain progress only in September when they started collecting notices while a serious discussion opened only three weeks before the notice period was to run out. Trade unionists criticized the minister not only for having prepared a B plan but also for declaring a state of emergency “The declaration of the state of emergency was applied at odds with the constitution which we have contested with the Constitutional Court,” stated Kollar.
LOZ organized collective submitting of notices in protest against the situation in health care in late September. It had four demands on the government: to observe the Labor Code, change the system of health care funding, stop transformation of hospitals to joint-stock companies, and increase wages of health care employees. As repeated talks with representatives of the government ended fruitless some, 1,200 notices took effect. Hospitals suffering from the crucial lack of doctors found themselves on the verge of collapse and thus the government rushed to solve the situation with declaring a state of emergency in thirteen districts, which meant work duty for protesting doctors in order to secure inevitable health care for patients. After two days, a memorandum was signed by Prime Minister Iveta Radicova and LOZ people meeting LOZ demands and putting the protest to its end.
SITA