LOZ Demands to Stop Debate on Hospital Transformation and Implement Memorandum

Bratislava, October 25 (TASR) - The Doctors' Trade Union (LOZ) is demanding that the government publicly declare that the debate on the transformation of state-owned hospitals into joint-stock companies should be stopped, LOZ head Peter Visolajsky stated on Friday following the meeting with Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD), which took place in connection with the announced resignation notices of some 2,500 doctors. LOZ also demands a plan for the implementation of the memorandum concluded in 2022. An agreement hasn't been reached yet but the doctors are willing to continue the talks. "We didn't ask for anything new from the minister, only for the agreements to be fulfilled," said Visolajsky, stressing the need to amend legislation, for example on doctors' training or salary indexation, so that it is in line with the agreements. According to him, with the resignation notices the doctors want to appeal to the government to address the situation in the health-care sector. The trade unionists also insist on the construction of a national hospital in Bratislava's Razsochy area, which is part of the memorandum, describing the transfer of the national hospital to the Bratislava borough of Ruzinov as a lie to the people and an unrealistic measure. They consider further analysis unnecessary, pointing to the fact that the original study confirmed Razsochy as the best location. Trade unionists do not understand the proposal to turn hospitals into joint-stock companies. According to Visolajsky, they haven't yet received a clear answer from the minister. They also discussed hospitals' debts and the business of suspicious financial groups. am/mcs