Penta: Private Capital Not Problem of Slovak Health Sector

Bratislava, October 30 (TASR) - Private capital is not the problem of the Slovak health sector, it's demagogy, populism and the absence of long-term vision, Penta investment group declared in its response to the health crisis on Wednesday. "We perceive the fact that the current state in this sector is unsustainable and do not doubt that the health portfolio should be a priority for the current government as well," reads the text. Penta welcomes any rational discussion on problems and specific solutions to ameliorate the situation. In its view, the Slovak health sector needs systemic reforms, the completion of hospital network optimalisation, DRG and centralisation of the state hospital management, so as to slow down the unsustainable growth in health care costs. Also crucial is to find suitable conditions for health personnel and advance progress in education reform. According to Penta, state hospital debts are not only amoral but also ruinous and destabilising for the entire health sector. "The effort of doctor unions to achieve higher salaries without having such a step covered by growth in labour productivity and better quality of health care drags the Slovak health into an even deeper abyss," added the text. mf/mcs