Poland’s Health Minister Karol Nawrocki announced plans to convene a Cabinet Council to tackle the alleged crisis in the national health system, calling it “dramatic” and awaiting a meeting date.
Cabinet Council Proposal
Health Minister Karol Nawrocki has said he will consider calling a Cabinet Council to discuss the state of the health protection system. According to the TV station Polsat, the president of the health ministry described the situation as “dramatic,” prompting Nawrocki to seek dialogue with the government. An exact date for the proposed meeting has not yet been set.
Tusk Responds to Patient Transfer Claims
On Friday, November 14, Prime Minister Donald Tusk addressed reports that some hospitals, including oncology units, were transferring patients. He denied that oncological patients were being sent elsewhere and labeled the claim a lie, stressing that earlier information had been swiftly debunked.
Premier Addresses Medical Council Comments
Tusk also replied to a statement from the spokesperson of the National Medical Council, Jakub Kosikowski, who had said that signals of limited treatment were coming from across the country. The premier withdrew that comment after it was corrected, noting the lack of any specific examples. He reiterated that hospitals are not allowed to transfer patients and that such situations had not previously occurred.
Delayed Payments to Hospitals
The National Medical Council’s spokesperson mentioned that the National Health Fund (NFZ) had not paid hospitals for several months, forcing them to limit services. Hospitals now postpone elective admissions and reduce pharmaceutical programs, citing delayed settlements with the NFZ. No indication of oncological patient referrals has been reported.