SDP: Ruling coalition in HNK is a mirror of neglecting citizens' health

The blockade of hospitals by the tax administration represents a move that transfers all consequences of a decade of bad policy in healthcare management, entirely and exclusively, onto patients and healthcare workers, the SDP announced, writes Patria.

- We are witnessing moves of supreme political pragmatism by the ruling coalition, which has decided that the years of inaction by their parties and previous cadres will be broken by a move dangerous to the lives of the citizens of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, without any intention of activating system instruments that should determine responsibility for the situation we are in today. There is no longer fear of epidemics in HNK. Here, every disease is deadly. The authorities are telling us that it is not true that healthcare services are charged for in HNK. Here you can die completely free of charge.

It sounds unbelievable that the HNK Government, which has been boasting about the stability of public finances for months, is unable to significantly intervene in settling certain hospital debts so that the system can continue to function in the interest of the social community and its citizens. The Clinical Hospital Center cannot repair the heart-lung machine on its own because the government does not financially support it. The ruling coalition, with such negligence, is fulfilling its pre-election promises to the citizens, telling them that even a heart attack, whatever it may be, is ultimately from the heart.

It is obvious that the thematic sessions on healthcare were exclusively political marketing, which resulted in no serious intention or measure to improve healthcare conditions, which has been more than confirmed in recent days. With thematic sessions, they probably wanted to present to the citizens that medicine in HNK has advanced exceptionally. There is no longer a disease from which a person cannot die. For those in power, life is cheap, only its maintenance is expensive.

Today we witness how the model of nationally divided healthcare has collapsed on economic principles, and we are all responsible for creating a new organizational model characterized by conscientious management, sustainable financing, and a constant fight against corruption.
And while hospitals are drowning in debt, and we are sending patients to other cantons for treatment, those most responsible for the state of the hospitals are sending their people directly into ministries and agencies, far from public view, hiring party members and burdening the budget that could be used to settle part of the hospital debt.

It is obviously much more important for them to redirect money to pre-election employment of their own voter base than to the real needs of the citizens of HNK. None of the ruling parties even consider taking such a step because party employment and managing millions in cantonal health funds are more important to them than the health and interests of the citizens.

The solution to the problems with blockades and the debt of healthcare institutions is possible in only one way, and that is to raise the jurisdiction of healthcare from the cantonal to the state level of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which would consolidate funds, and patients would gain the right to health insurance throughout the country. This prosperity, which they promised us and are trying to convince us of, is truly unbearable! You led us to reforms, to a better future. You save us from it - the SDP statement reads.