Starting on Tuesday, 29th of October, doctors in Slovakia will begin submitting their resignations, mainly from high-demand departments like surgery, gynaecology, internal medicine, and cardiology. Union leaders are urging the government to adhere to commitments made in a memorandum.
Approximately 2,500 resignation letters have already been collected as doctors push for a nearly ten percent salary increase, while the Minister has proposed just over six percent. According to health expert Jana Ježíková, the difference in funding for hospital doctors is less than 27 million euros, a manageable sum within the health budget. The average salary for a hospital doctor without certification could reach nearly 3,800 euros, while certified doctors might earn over 6,200 euros next year.
A major concern for doctors is the government's plan to convert hospitals into joint-stock companies, which they fear could lead to hidden privatization of healthcare services. Health analyst Dušan Zachar predicts that such a transformation will not happen in this electoral period due to the nearly one billion euros needed for debt relief.
If the healthcare sector fails to become a priority for the Prime Minister, it may continue to deteriorate, claimed opposition party PS leaders Michal Šimečka and Oskar Dvořák. They criticized the government for not delivering on promised solutions and for the overall worsening situation.
Source: STVR
