KDH: By Saving on Health Personnel's Salaries, Gov't Endangers Health Care

Bratislava, September 26 (TASR) - By setting brakes on the growth of health personnel's salaries, as part of its public finances consolidation, the Government has endangered the health care in Slovakia and Health Minister Zuzana Dolinkova (Voice-SD) should be ousted over the fact that she has failed to make a stand on behalf of hospital personnel, MP Frantisek Majersky (KDH) declared at a press conference on Thursday. KDH also criticised the restriction of parliamentary debate on the consolidation. "Throughout the year she's been in the Government, the Health Minister has done nothing for patients and in fact absolutely nothing for health personnel," stated Majersky, adding that the Government lied to the health practitioners when it promised that consolidation measures affecting their salaries will last only for a year. Majersky pointed out that such restrictions are to continue even in following years. "In three years, it'll be almost €800 million that the Government plans to save on their salaries," he said. Furthermore, MP Peter Stachura (KDH) criticised Dolinkova also over the fact that she has failed to promote the changes expected of her, with no progress achieved regarding outpatient department fees or the accessibility of health care. He pointed out that KDH proposed several changes that were turned down, yet the minister hasn't come up with alternative solutions since then. mf