Doctors protested in Bratislava, demand solution to problems health care

Doctors protested in Bratislava, demand solution to problems health care

On Thursday, doctors and representatives of other medical professions protested in Bratislava appealing to the government to address the state of the Slovak healthcare system. They spoke about the lack of staff, the exhaustion of health workers, unnecessary deaths and the need for dialogue. Peter Visolajský, the chairman of the medical trade union, explained that the aim is to adjust the system so that doctors have an incentive to stay in Slovakia. At the beginning of October, more than 2,100 doctors from 31 Slovak hospitals handed in their resignations. Medical trade unionists explained the resignations by disagreeing with the current conditions in the system. They insisted on the fulfilment of eight demands they proposed to improve the situation in the sector. Their list includes:

- solution to the insufficient payments for state insured persons

- renewal of state hospitals

- stabilisation of the network of outpatient clinics - both general and specialised, for which Slovakia does not have and will not have enough specialists for years

- comprehensive support for outpatient clinics at a time of energy crisis

- stabilisation of the number of doctors and other health professionals, with an analysis not only of the current situation but of the avalanche of retired people currently leaving, with the prospect of a further massive decline in the coming years

- radical changes in the education system, especially for senior doctors and nurses

- solution to the investment debt in the health sector

- setting realistic prices for health care services to cover all the costs necessary for the operation and development of health care facilities in both inpatient and outpatient settings

The last time the unions negotiated with the government on Wednesday (16 November), no agreement was reached. The next meeting is due to take place on Monday 21 November

Source: TASR
Mojmír Procházka; Foto: TASR

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