After January 1, 2025, the situation can be sustained to a limited extent even with doctors who did not resign. But no longer, and it will have to come to a resolution. It is also necessary to prepare for the postponement of some operations. In response to the current situation in the health sector, he stated this for TASR director of the Institute for Economic and Social Reforms (INEKO) Dušan Zachar.
Even if there is no agreement between the government and the Medical Association (LOZ), Zachar assumes that some doctors will probably withdraw their resignations. But he doesn’t think it will be the majority. “I assume that there will still be such a high number of doctors dismissed, which may result in significant paralyzing of the provision of health care,” he noted.
In connection with the demands of medical trade unionists, he perceives the (im)measurableness of various required goals and their different interpretation from both sides as a problem. According to him, LOZ has a legitimate right to comment critically on any health policy steps. However, it seems “over the line” for them to threaten the provision of health care to patients by submitting mass resignations.
“Especially if it concerns demands where medical trade unionists from hospitals do not have democratic legitimacy from the citizens. It can easily happen that the protesting doctors are not promoting the public interest, but from a position of strength – realizing their indispensability, they will use this position to force demands that will suit only them,” he clarified.
The director of INEKO does not know whether it is realistic to reach an agreement by the end of the year and for the doctors to withdraw their resignations. “The current political situation is very unpredictable and we know that the prime minister of this republic has declared that he is ready to go to hell ‘on a great white horse’. I read it in the way that inhibitions are lost, and thus also a certain customary logic and predictability of steps,” he stated.
He also pointed out that during the negotiations, various non-constructive statements, name-calling, sending messages to each other through the media and sharpening of positions are being used. “Which certainly does not help to calm down and resolve the situation,” he added.
He sees the approved legislation, which is supposed to ensure the availability of health care after the new year, as “a double-edged sword, but it will remain blunt.” He explained that, according to him, it will not have the effect that the government expected and it will be very difficult to enforce.
“I understand that the ministry and the government are trying to take such measures as are aimed at guaranteeing the provision of health care to citizens in a crisis situation, but they are doing it like an elephant in a porcelain vase,” Zachar added.
More than 3,300 doctors from hospitals across Slovakia resigned as a sign of dissatisfaction with the situation in the healthcare sector. Doctors have already started submitting overtime notices. They are willing to withdraw them if the government starts fulfilling their demands.
In particular, they insist on fulfilling the points of the memorandum from 2022, which the then government cabinet signed with the medical trade unions. Minister of Health Kamil Šaško (Voice-SD) claims that after Monday’s (December 16) negotiations with LOZ, they identified five or six key points in order to reach an agreement. Aye trade unionists say they are doing everything to reach an agreement as soon as possible.
