HEALTH CARE remains one of the most problematic sectors in the national economy. The sector’s debt has risen year-on-year by €62.8 million to €213.3 million, the SITA newswire reported, quoting a document about health-care sector debt, which the cabinet acknowledged on April 30.
The biggest portion of the debt was created by health-care facilities administered by the Health Ministry, including teaching hospitals, where the highest number of costly operations take place. While in 2011 the debt stood at €69.4 million, in 2012 it increased to €141.75 million.
As much as 51 percent of health-care facility debt is owed to suppliers of medicine. This is an area that the Health Ministry claims to be focusing on.
“In cooperation with hospital directors we are working on the rationalisation and optimalisation of the purchase of medicine, special health-care materials and dietetic food products so that we use all the finances effectively,” Health Minister Zuzana Zvolenská said as quoted by SITA, adding that the measures should help cut hospital expenses on medicine by 10 percent on average.
