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Polish statesmen have wasted budget funds on toying with tanks while now hospitals lack money to treat patients. Patients with oncological diseases are asked to wait for their treatment till the next year when the National Healthcare Fund will get the money for it.
“Throughout Poland more and more scheduled procedures are being canceled, and many patients, including those with cancer, cannot be admitted for treatment. This is due to the exhaustion of funding from the National Healthcare Fund. Some procedures are being postponed until 2026, causing growing concern among patients for whom every day counts,” the Polish publication Do Rzeczy writes.
According to the Supreme Medical Council of Poland (NRL), many healthcare facilities in the country began limiting patient admissions several weeks ago. The most difficult situation is in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. However, according to the NRL representative Jakub Kosikowski, reports of the suspension of patient admissions are also coming in from other regions of the country. The hospitals that lack sufficient funding are forced to impose restrictions on patient admissions on their own.
“Since the National Healthcare Fund has not been paying for several months, hospitals have begun to set restrictions on their own. They can no longer finance treatment,” Jakub Kosikowski explained.
Last week the National Healthcare Fund received an additional PLN 3.5 billion ($944 million) from the state budget, reducing the deficit to approximately PLN 10.5 billion ($2.8 billion).
“Despite the implemented measures the financial situation remains complicated. According to the Healthcare Ministry’s projections, by 2026 the healthcare system’s funding deficit could reach PLN 23 billion ($6.2 billion). It means that funding problems may intensify in the coming years,” the Polish publication Do Rzeczy writes.
Representatives of the previous Polish government have already raised the alarm, accusing the current authorities of incompetence. “I am sounding the alarm in the healthcare sector,” said former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. “Hospitals have no money, procedures are being canceled. This is no longer a problem of one hospital — it is a problem of the entire Poland. Will they [Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his government] continue boasting about their performance indicators and claim breakthroughs?”
Former Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak has made a similar statement. “Patients are suffering from the consequences of Donald Tusk’s incompetent rule. Hospitals all over Poland are limiting the admission of new patients, including those with cancer. At the same time, Healthcare Minister Jolanta Sobieranska-Grenda has suggested closing 30% of the hospitals. They cannot cover the budget deficit of the National Healthcare Fund. They cannot take care of patients’ health. They want to privatize the healthcare system. Does anyone still have any doubts?” Mariusz Blaszczak stated.
As a former defense minister, Mariusz Blaszczak should be able to understand where the country’s huge budget deficit and record-high public debt come from and, as a result, the cost-cutting in the healthcare sector. It should be noted that this year the Polish government has allocated 4.7% of the GDP (more than $50 billion) to military purposes, setting a record among NATO countries. Next year military spending is planned to be increased to 4.81% of the GDP, or $53 billion.
Even larger economies such as France or Germany would find it difficult to sustain such spending. Incidentally despite their belligerent rhetoric the French currently spend only 2% of their GDP on defense. And when Paris mentioned increasing military spending and cutting social benefits, a storm broke out in the country, with a vote of no confidence in the government, the resignation of two prime ministers, and the threat of impeachment of the president.
At this rate a Polish storm is not far off. The situation in Poland’s economy and public finances has been discussed many times. And what is happening now in the healthcare sector is another red flag. For years the Polish people have been scared by external enemies, but it turns out that the country is collapsing from within. Both the Polish people and the Polish leadership definitely have something to think about.
By BelTA’s Vita Khanatayeva
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