Health Minister Dragoslav Šćekić said today that the health system must be strengthened and funds must be found for its functioning.
At a consultative hearing at the Parliamentary Committee for Health, Labor and Social Welfare, he said that 332 euros was not enough for functioning, and that 400 million was requested in order to close the previous debt and service current consumption.
Šćekić asked how the health system would be financed, if there were not 50 million euros to cover the debt of the Health Insurance Fund.
"If we talk from the point of view of citizens and political representatives, how could someone not pay 50 million for the debt, and can compensate 200 million euros," Šćekić said.
The Minister of Finance, Aleksandar Damjanović, said that it is illusory to expect the Fund's debt to be brought to zero, and that it is expected that the debt will not be carried over to the next year.
He assessed that the new method of financing made it easier, that the money was put into current spending, and that the rest should be planned very carefully with additional budget transfers in order to have a sustainable system.
Damjanović pointed out that there is a letter from Montefarm to the Fund, which will be the subject of a special analysis by the authorities.
In that letter from the end of May, claims Damjanović, the figures are incomparably higher than those presented. Thus Montefarm, he states, informs that by the end of 2022 it needs another 92 million for smooth functioning.
He explained that, according to the letter, 29 million is missing for medicines and medical devices, while the debt to suppliers amounts to 37 million euros.
Šćekić is in favor of increasing the salary of doctors, but...
Šćekić pointed out that 65 state pharmacies were able to serve the needs of citizens. He said that the public call for private pharmacies and clinics ended last fall, and that the effects of that, including the reduction in the number of private pharmacies in contractual relations with the Fund, can only be seen this year.
Šćekić said that money has been directed towards the private sector for years and that this should be investigated.
He pointed out that his priority while managing the Fund was to first pay obligations to state health institutions, and to others within defined deadlines of 60 or 90 days.
Šćekić accused the former state secretary of the Ministry of Finance of directly negotiating with a private drug wholesaler to pay a debt of seven million euros.
He pointed out that he is in favor of increasing wages for doctors, but for those who work, saying that there are also those who "don't work until 15 p.m., and then go to work overtime at a private company".
Mugoša: Made parts that the public doesn't know about, but will soon hear about
Social Democrats (SD) MP Boris Mugoša replied to Šćekić that, considering the dissatisfaction with the management of certain institutions, he now has the possibility to remove him.
However, he said that he does not believe that this will happen because, as he claims, "deals have been made that the public does not know about, but will soon hear about."
Among other things, Mugoša pointed out that fees for residents for separate living must be paid, as well as the debt to private pharmacies, because the collection of prescription drugs is called into question, so citizens have to pay for them out of pocket.
Eraković: Because of "Europe now", the regular payment of salaries to all healthcare workers is called into question
DPS MP Jevto Eraković said that everything that the MPs of that party said in 2021 came true and pointed out that because of the "Europe Now" program, the regular payment of salaries to all healthcare workers in Montenegro was called into question.
"These are the results of your policy. It is brave and fair that you announced this today, but does anyone have to be held accountable for these experiments that are being carried out on the citizens of Montenegro," he said.
Eraković said that the situation in the health care system was not ideal even before, but he asked Šćekić what they would do if they had a budget of 2019 million euros in 237.
He assessed that the health care system was managed spontaneously and that nothing from the capital budget was realized during 2021, although there was money in the budget for it.
Democratic Montenegro MP Tamara Vujović said that the allocation of 400 million euros from the budget would be enough to complete the health system, if the money is used well and properly. She assessed that the sustainability of the health system will not be questioned.
Vujović asked the Minister of Health how, after 12 days of his mandate, or based on what analysis, he estimated that it was necessary to conclude a contract with the Turkish clinic Liv Hospital for the same services for which there was already a contract with a private clinic, reminding him that immediately before that criticized the strengthening of the private health sector at the expense of the public one.
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