The Department of Health management met with representatives of the Health Department of the Association of Employers Associations and Associations of the Slovak Republic. The main theme was long-term under-financing of facilities, the impact of inflation, the increase in energy, the lack of staff, but in particular the draft state budget for health in 2023.
Europe as a whole, including Slovakia, the public and private sectors, faces a difficult economic period. The long-term health problems have been faced with the new challenges of a sharp rise in prices and the increase in energy, which is suffocating already underfunded health care. In addition, we have recently received from the Ministry of Finance a draft budget that does not reflect expectations of health professionals or patients, mentioned Vladimir Lengvarsky, Minister of Health.
The department's management has assured employers in the health sector that it is aware of the complexity of the situation and is doing its utmost to help the institutions overcome the difficult economic times. At the same time, the Ministry looks forward to further discussion on the necessary reforms which have not been supported by the current draft budget for 2023.
According to the Ministry, the increased costs and sub-financing of the sector cannot be translated into the quality and accessibility of healthcare. Therefore, at both government and political level, the resort promotes a financial envelope for the smooth functioning of health care.
In addition to increasing costs, Slovak health also faces a long-term lack of personnel capacity. Despite the comprehensive increase in the salaries of health professionals, the start-up of general outpatient care reform, the investments made in the recovery plan and the next steps, the problem has deepened for doctors' statements.
The departure of approximately two thousand doctors from the system can cause temporary regional complications in the provision of healthcare. Moreover, there is no way we want our doctors to get stuck in air-empty after the depositions. A significant part of them work in full-time hospitals and no one wants to leave the health sector, Vladimír Lengvarsky stressed.