Doctors in some hospitals are striking in protest against the lack of money and reforms of health care system.
“We want to provoke the public because we are surprised at how indifferent they are towards the state of the health care system in Poland,” said Krzysztof Bukiel, head of the National Trade Union of Doctors, the organization responsible for the strike.
“Single cases of swine flu are drawing people’s attention, while, in fact, thousands of patients die because medical service in Poland is underpaid and remains unreformed,” added Bukiel.
During the strike – which is currently on in some hospitals, with others set to follow - doctors will only admit patients whose life is in danger.
The main reason of the strike, say health professionals, is the lack of health care reform, which was promised by Donald Tusk’s government during the election campaign two years ago. Doctors say that hospitals are obliged to provide certain medical services but do not get enough funding to carry them out.
The strike may last till the beginning of the new year. After that, hospitals will work in a normal manner for 20 days and in an emergency manner for the last 10 days of every month.
The National Health Fund has announced that the amount of money spent on the health care system will decrease by over 1.5 billion zloty (370 million euro) – from 55.1 billion zloty to 53.6 billion zloty. (mg)