BRATISLAVA, April 19, (WEBNOVINY) — President Ivan Gasparovic indicated after Tuesday meeting with representatives of professional organizations from the health care sector that he wants to meet with Health Minister Ivan Uhliarik. The president and representatives of the organizations discussed the current situation at the Health Ministry and problems troubling the heath care sector. President of the Slovak Medical Chamber (SLK) Milan Dragula informed the head of state that the Health Ministry does not accept reservations of medical doctors to the planned legislation. “I want to discuss these reservations with the minister,“ said the president.
The president said that he and health organizations’ representatives agreed at the meeting that the Slovak health care sector needs to get out of the vicious circle it is in and that it is financially undernourished. Especially the increase in payments for state policyholders from the current 4.32 percent to 5 percent of the assessment base could help the sector. “That would be the first step towards recovery and stabilization of the health care sector,” concluded the president. President Ivan Gasparovic and SLK President Milan Dragula are both skeptical about the possibility of opening of this year’s budget. They believe that it is necessary to rather concentrate on next year’s budget. “I believe that appropriate amount of sources should be allocated for the health care in next year’s budget,” stated the president.
Dragula said that medical professionals are very dissatisfied. “I do not support barricades but if the situation demands it, medical staff will be forced to do that,” he responded to the question about the possible radicalization of the mood in the sector. He also added that they want to negotiate first so that appropriate sources are allocated in the sector, otherwise proper health care cannot be provided to patients. He also underscored that the system is affected by uncontrollable chaos and named collection of fees from patients as illustration.
The president also gave his opinion on the current situation in the governing coalition, which he compared to the situation in the health care sector. “Health care is in a bad shape, that is it,” answered the head of state to the question how his comparison should be understood.
SITA