BRATISLAVA, October 28, (WEBNOVINY) — The Medical and Social Services Trade Union warns that a collapse in provision of health care services looms large in Slovakia. “The situation in the health care sector is critical with reduced contracted volumes of finances for health care providers in 2011. Health insurance companies slashed contracted volumes as of July 1, which led to closing down hospital wards and workplaces and subsequent layoffs,” stated trade unionists.
They call on Prime Minister Iveta Radicova to halt transformation of the legal form of state-run hospitals to joint-stock companies, also because the Cabinet no longer follows its program statement. “Should the Prime Minster ignore this call, we would turn to the President to make this substantial decision with social consequences, immediately if possible. We seek stabilization in the sector and halting departure of our physicians, who have our full support,” stated trade unions representatives.
The Cabinet should eventually decide on the fate of transformation of hospitals into joint-stock companies. On Wednesday, Health Minister Ivan Uhliarik (KDH) informed that he would ask his colleagues in the Cabinet for a clear position on whether his ministry should or should not continue the reforms as Iveta Radicova’s Cabinet lost a confidence vote in parliament earlier this month. Uhliarik considers transforming the hospitals to joint-stock companies to be a serious political decision.
As of the end of September, 2,411 doctors from 34 hospitals all over Slovakia have submitted resignation notices to their employers, informed the Medical Trade Unions Association (LOZ). Medical facilities, physicians of which have decided to file notices, also include all key teaching hospitals as well as some smaller facilities and joint-stock companies. The LOZ started collecting notices from physicians who agreed to this form of protest as of August 25 of this year. At that time, 3,827 physicians from 51 hospitals have signed a declaration of readiness to submit a notice to their employers.
The Medical Trade Unions Association has 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. The doctors perceive all their requirements as a complex and demand fulfillment of them all.
SITA