From 1 January 2026 a free consulting line 116117 has been operating in Slovakia. The callers are consulted and advised on the management of minor diseases and conditions that do not require emergency medical intervention. Line 116117 provides Non-stop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and served by qualified health professionals. The first few days have confirmed its validity and high public interest.
I am very pleased that the first days of the operation of line 116117 have already shown its great contribution to people and the entire health system. Hundreds of phone calls are proving that patients really need this form of professional help, said Minister of Health Kamil Šaško.
According to the data of OS ZZS SR, only in the first 4 days and nights since the start of the line of assistance, operators handled more than 700 events, while the most calls were within the Bratislava region. The most common reasons for calling the 116117 advisory line were fever, high blood pressure, abdominal pain and indigestion, said spokeswoman Petra Klimešová, OS ZZS SR. Children's parents with various respiratory diseases also asked for consultation by telephone.
With the introduction of line 116117, Slovakia joined advanced European countries such as Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom or Italy, where this service proved to be an effective tool of professional assistance for conditions that do not require urgent healthcare.
A citizen who wishes to consult, ask or consult a non-urgent health problem can contact the link 116117. Helpline operators will advise on how to deal with minor injuries, fever or worsening chronic conditions. However, we stress that traffic accidents, serious injuries, massive bleeding, impaired consciousness, chest pain, gasping, or suffocation on line 116117 do not belong. For serious conditions, the emergency call line 155 is available for patients, which can address them by sending an ambulance to the emergency health service, adds Peter Klimešová.