Slovakia spent about 9 percent of its GDP for health care in 2010 according to an analysis by the Organisation for the Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and those results were used in a document prepared by the Health Ministry that will be discussed at the upcoming cabinet session of the government, the Sme daily wrote, adding that the whole health-care system in Slovakia is not reaching satisfactory results.
The OECD found that Slovakia has too many hospital beds and doctors, Sme wrote. In other European countries there is average of about 3.1 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants and in Slovakia the average is about 3.3 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants.
Yet Milan Dragula, a former president of the Slovak Medical Chamber and a current advisor to Prime Minister Robert Fico told Sme that he believes that the number of doctors in Slovakia is still too low and that there are some specialties where doctors are lacking.
The OECD reported that Slovaks spent too much on medications while also finding that Slovakia lacks a sufficient number of nurses as well as the equipment necessary for magnetic resonance or CT examinations.
“The excessively high indicators, such as the consumption of drugs, the number of acute beds and the number of doctors are long-term problems which indicate ineffectiveness in the Slovak health-care system,” said Peter Goliaš, an analyst with the INEKO institute, an NGO, as quoted by Sme.
The differences between Slovakia and other OECD countries are increasing, states the report prepared by the Health Ministry. The ministry stated that the problems might be resolved by establishing one health insurer but Goliaš thinks this would not be good, saying the state does not effectively operate the companies it owns.
Source: Sme
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
