hospital

Hungarians spend the most time in hospitals in the EU

péterfy hospital Budapest Hungarian health care system

An average Hungarian spends almost ten days in hospitals in a year by which the Hungarian rate is the worst in the EU.

Among the EU member countries, in the Netherlands people spend 4.5 days in hospitals while this number is 5.3 days in Bulgaria, 5.5 days in Denmark. These are the lowest data in the EU – says hvg.hu based on a new announcement of the Eurostat.

The highest number in this respect is in Hungary with an average of 9.8 days per capita. Hungary is followed by the Czech Republic (9.6 days) and France (9.1 days).

Eurostat says that even though there were more female patients in the EU, in most of the member states, men spent more time in hospitals than women.

Based on a report of the European Commission, it seems that the health conditions of the Hungarians are among the worst ones in the EU. Hvg.hu says that

it is like Hungarians “would like to die earlier than they should.”

This is because many Hungarians smoke, drink, but they do not move. Therefore, it is not surprising that most of the deaths are caused by the unhealthy lifestyle the average Hungarian conducts. Based on the report of the European Commission, there are vast differences between different groups of society. For example, those men who have a degree live 12 years longer than those who obtained a lower qualification. 

Meanwhile, the government has centralised the Hungarian healthcare system, but the money they spend on health care per capita is among the lowest ones in the European Union.

Therefore, it is not surprising that – as we reported before – labour shortage has been critical in the sector for years. For example, in 2018,

there were 1,700 available job vacancies in the country. 

According to the data of the Hungarian Statistical Office (KSH), the highest number of vacancies occurred in inpatient care (971), followed by outpatient treatment (459).

43% of medical job vacancies were experienced in Budapest; the capital was followed by Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komárom-Esztergom and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg counties. Approximately 1,400 settlements (with a population of fewer than 1,000 residents) had no general practitioner in 2019. In April, infectious department of the hospital in Szolnok closed due to lack of specialists; while in February, the anaesthesia process was carried out by cardiologists in the hospital of Miskolc. In March, vascular surgeries were cancelled in Péterfy Hospital.

According to Népszava, although

250,000 health care workers are registered, only 107,000 work actively in this field.

The majority of young people are not involved in the healthcare system; they leave this field or do not even start it after graduation because many of them start to work abroad for higher wages. According to the data of the State Health Care Center (ÁEEK), the proportion of labour shortage in case of nurses is 10%, midwives 25%, paramedics 13%.

Did you know that there is a Hungarian hospital in North Korea?

Hungary north korea hospital

Hungary builds new hospitals, for example, in Vietnam. In 1950, the Communist leadership of the country felt it essential to help their Korean and Chinese comrades fighting against the United States by sending a complete hospital with the crew to the Far East country. Interestingly, the hospital is in operation still today.

Interestingly, the first contact between Hungary and the Korean Kingdom was established at the end of the 19th century. Hungarian travellers and doctors visited the Kingdom before and after the Japanese occupation. American and Soviet troops retook the country from the Japanese forces in the final days of WWII, but the winners of the war could not decide the fate of the Penninsula. Since the negotiations on reunification failed, in 1948, separate governments were formed: the socialist Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the north, and the capitalist Republic of Korea in the south.

Hungary, as a country under communist leadership set up diplomatic ties with North-Korea almost immediately and in 1950, the first Hungarian ambassador arrived in Pyongyang. When the Korean war started, Mátyás Rákosi, hated and feared leader of the Hungarian communist regime, offered Hungary’s help and agreed with Soviet leader Stalin and the North Korean leadership that

he would not only send a team of doctors and nurses but a fully functional hospital with 200 beds to the Far East country.

Hungary north korea hospital
The cooperation between Hungary and North Korea. Source: fortepan.hu

The first crew and the equipment started their long journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway in the summer of 1950 to heal those wounded during the war. By 1951, there were 8 separate medical teams in North Korea and China, all working between horrible circumstances and being continuously threatened by the US air raids. For example, the first equipment sent to North Korea was destroyed by American bombers.

Therefore, Hungary sent a second team of doctors with a hospital for 400 people. Interestingly,

during the North-Korean occupation of Seoul, the today capital of South Korea, the Hungarian unit of doctors lead a hospital for 2,500 people.

Finally, the Hungarian doctors moved to Sarivon, a big North-Korean city south from the capital, Pyongyang where they created the Mátyás Rákosi Hospital.

Hungary north korea hospital
Hungarian and Korean doctors together in Saviron. Source: fortepan.hu

The hospital treated wounded soldiers there until 1953 when the two Koreas signed an armistice agreement which is still in effect. Among the Hungarian doctors, there were some well-known persons, too, for example, Frigyes Kulka, father of popular Hungarian actor, János Kulka, László Gyarmati, brother-in-law of the famous Hungarian poet Miklós Radnóti, and Miklós Böszörményi, an outstanding specialist of pulmonology.

The last Hungarian team of doctors started their journey towards North Korea in 1956. Since the Hungarian revolution of 1956, the relationship between the two countries grew cold. The North Korean government ordered the almost 1,000 Korean students to return home immediately, and the last Hungarian doctor had to leave North Korea in 1957.

In the 7 years, the altogether

225 Hungarian doctors and nurses spent in North Korea they helped more than 120 thousand patients and did more than 7,000 surgeries –

the Hungarian News Agency said then. Today, a bilingual column commemorates their deeds in the garden of the hospital. The Mátyás Rákosi hospital is still in operation and, based on information, bears the name of the Hungarian communist leader even today. 

Partying foreigners fell from balcony in Budapest

balcony, Budapest, Hungary

After the handrail of the balcony came out of the structure, two partying foreigners fell off from it in Budapest, District 8, during the night of December 25, around 2 am.

HVG reported that the two men stayed in the five-storey house on Harminckettesek tere next to József Boulevard, Budapest. The firefighters arrived at the scene as soon as possible and removed the dangerous pieces of the balcony immediately.

Under the balcony, there is a McDonald’s restaurant, and the pieces of the structure fell right in front of it. Luckily, no one was injured.

Budapest, Hungary, balcony
Photo: Daily News Hungary

The two foreign men (both of them around 30 years old) who rented the flat were having a party when the accident happened, reported another article of HVG. Their neighbour reported that they moved to the flat only a few months ago. According to him, the two foreign men were loud, left their garbage everywhere in the house, and the other residents complained about them many times.

Two of them suffered severe internal injuries and had many of their bones broken. After receiving immediate help from the arriving ambulance, they were taken to hospital.

Authorities do not know what caused the accident, but it has been stated that no crime was committed during the incident. They also reported that the house was built in the 1800s, and its other balconies are also in bad condition.

Tragic! Thai woman’s 25-week-old fetus found dead in a Budapest hospital

Hungary fetus Thai woman

The employees of the hospital found the innocent fetus in a bag.

According to police.hu, the doctors immediately reported the case to the local police and said that the ambulance took a 33-year-old Thai woman into the hospital at the dawn of December 21. It came to light after some medical examinations that the woman gave birth or miscarried just before she was taken to the hospital.

Police immediately searched the apartment of the woman and found fresh blood, but the baby was not in the flat or anywhere in its neighbourhood. However, the woman said that before the medical examination started, she was given a bag to put her clothes in. Finally, the officers found the dead body of the woman’s 25-week-old fetus in that. 

The woman said that just before the examination started, she had miscarried, but she did not tell about it to the doctors. However, the police did not believe her and started an investigation. Now, they suspect that the woman

willfully took a lot of drugs during her pregnancy which resulted in her miscarriage.

Therefore, the police requested her preliminary arrest.

Labour shortage – 6 surgeons resigned out of the total 7 at a Budapest hospital!

jahn ferenc hospital kórház budapest dél pesti 2019

Due to the disproportionately low allowances, six surgeons out of the total, seven doctors submitted their resignation in a South-Pest hospital – reported by Index. According to the Director General, the situation does not affect the institution’s high level of health care services.

The Director General revealed that negotiations are still going on – the doctors have not yet accepted the increased allowances and the improvement of working conditions. Even though, specialists are needed at the surgical department as on-call duties cannot be organised without them; according to Zsolt Ralovich, it does not influence the institution’s high level of service.

In overloaded hospitals, due to the high amount of emergency patients, doctors are unable to carry out scheduled operations; additionally, their supplement for on-call duty does not differ from other hospitals’ bonuses.

According to napi.hu, if negotiations will not succeed, a problematic situation will emerge in other surgical departments as well – currently, urgent cases of South-Pest Jahn Ferenc Hospital are taken to other overloaded institutions.

Gyula Kincses – new president of the Hungarian Medical Chamber – proposes EUR 3,050 (~ HUF 1 million) gross salary for doctors.

According to Zsolt Ralovich – Director General of Jahn Ferenc South-Pest Hospital and Clinic Institute – the surgical treatment is going well in the institution. 

“We strongly reject all the news reporting the hospital’s collapse. None of the emerged numbers are correct – 23 surgeons are working in the hospital, not 7. The resigned doctors have a notice period of two months, their renunciation does not preclude continuous and high-quality health care service. Negotiations are still going on; however, the hospital’s management has started to consult with other surgeon specialists as well” – reported the Director General to MTI.

Hungarian pseudo-doctors rooked many people by saying that they have a deadly disease

doctor health medicine resident

The perpetrators said that they were doctors, diagnosed deadly illnesses, and offered very expensive but low-quality products for treatment. The victims are mostly elderly people.

The court started their trial this week in Szombathely. The number of victims is high, 345, but there are also 52 defendants, and the number of pages the judge has to read is more than 41 thousand, Index reported.

According to the accusation of the prosecutor, the doctors promised health status assessment for free, and with that offer they

called and sent letters to many elderly people.

The perpetrators, who called each other professor and doctor, even though none of them has such a degree, said during the evaluation of the results that all of the patients suffer from deadly diseases. Therefore, they offered products and stated that only those could cure them.

Since the old victims were afraid of saying no, they all bought the products for hundreds of thousands of forints. According to the prosecutor,

the perpetrators stole 100 million HUF (EUR 300,000)

from altogether 345 victims.

The court will continue its work in February with the hearing of the victims. Since they are old and live in different parts of the country (Szombathely, Kecskemét, Érd), the court will ask questions while they sit at home, using modern techniques and the internet.

New Budapest leadership rejects Buda superhospital, claims PM’s Office

hospital health modern

The majority of councillors in Budapest’s new municipal assembly have failed to back plans for a superhospital in southern Buda and have refused to approve city financing for further health-care projects, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office said on Thursday.

At his regular press briefing, Gergely Gulyás called it “bad news” that the assembly on Wednesday rejected two related amendments proposed by the ruling Fidesz-Christian Democrat alliance.

One concerned the construction of the superhospital and the other a 10 billion forint (EUR 29.7m) contribution by the municipal assembly to funding the upgrade of the city’s health-care institutions, he said.

Budapest’s public projects council will convene next week at the request of Mayor Gergely Karácsony to discuss with the government the municipality’s conditions, Gulyás said.

He added that he would try and convince the mayor that the city should not veto the superhospital project.

The city should also “contribute to its health budget if they really consider that a priority,” he added. “It would compromise the city’s creditability if they refused to spend any money on health services out of a budget of 300 billion forints,” Gulyás said. He added that many of the conditions set by the municipal leadership coincided with the government’s plans, and some of them had been written into in next year’s budget.

Gulyás said the government had a clear commitment to developing health services, adding the government’s Healthy Budapest scheme has budgeted 42 billion forints for health improvements next year. “There are more CT scanners in Budapest than there are districts”, he said, adding that the government was open to talks aimed at further increasing that number.

Gulyás welcomed the assembly’s unanimous decision to support plans for Budapest to host the 2023 World Athletics Championships, adding that “Budapest’s largest-ever green project” would be implemented alongside the event.

On another subject, Gulyás said the European Union was mulling a penalty of 50-60 billion forints in connection with municipal contracts for Budapest’s 4th metro line.

The government has initiated talks aimed at reducing that penalty to a minimum, he added.

Concerning another subject, Gulyás said the Hungary Helps scheme had been welcomed in many countries, especially in the US. He added the aid scheme would be “more successful than other programmes because it delivers aid directly to those that need it, such as church communities or hospitals in war zones.” “Hungary cannot stay passive when it comes to the world’s 245 million persecuted Christians,” he added.

Concerning the Budapest-Belgrade rail project, Gulyás said the agreements with contractors have been signed and construction is expected to take about three years to complete.

Infections in Hungarian hospitals kill more people than car accidents

doctor health hospital sick

The official report and statistics on the number of fatal infections in Hungarian hospitals has arrived. The results are shocking and call for immediate action.

Szeretlek Magyarország reported that last year approximately 15,151 hospital infections happened in Hungarian institutions and 541 out of these were fatal.

The report also revealed that 567 Hungarian residents died in car accidents last year. Although this number is more than the rate of hospital infections, the number of deaths in health institutions is still more frequent.

In Hungarian hospitals 131 different infections were reported. 78% of these are not specific diseases which means that we can get infected with them by simply walking on the street. The report emphasized that this is not the actual data as the exact number of infections is hard to estimate and it is not unlikely that some infection cases were not reported. This shows that there could be even more.

Due to medical catheters 206 died last year in Hungarian hospitals. Other hospital infections are toxemia and digestive system infections.

The reason behind this might be that Hungarian doctors use fewer germ-killers than the EU average. While the EU reports 24 litres of averagely used germ-killers this number in Hungary is only 9.5.

Grave situation at the clinics of Budapest

hungary hospital 2019 budapest

You need an appointment to get an appointment at the clinics of Budapest.

According to the ministry, a new administration system will be completed next year that decreases the number of waitlists, reported Szeretlek Magyarország.

As for now the situation is nearly hopeless;             

Many clinics in Budapest only offer ultrasound appointments for next year.

Furthermore, in most places, you cannot get an appointment for examination but an appointment where you can then request an appointment for tests. And there are some places where patients are put on a waitlist.

Recently the length of waitlists has grown from an 18-day-long wait to a 28 day period.

The Ministry of Human Resources claims that a new administration system will reach its completion next year and it might reduce the number of waitlists at clinics.

Medical marihuana legal but scarce in Hungary

#marijuana #cannabis #hungarian

The Hungarian Medical Cannabis Association (MOKE) plans to start a cannabis program accessible to doctors and workers in the medical field. They plan to organise professional training in the application of medical marihuana for doctors.

According to Szelestei Miklós interviewed by 444; This is necessary because while medical marihuana is currently legal in Hungary, it is practically inaccessible: doctors do not prescribe it, it cannot be bought, and no one is really concerned with this matter.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world leaves Hungary considerably behind: more and more countries start experiments and programs year after year, which intend to introduce medical marihuana into health care thus building a multi-billion dollar market.

This does not necessarily mean that marihuana for recreational purposes would be legalised.

For example, in Germany, health insurance is estimated to have funded 70 million euros worth of medical cannabis-based medication. The market also flourishes in Poland, Cyprus, Malta and North-Macedonia; these countries see the tremendous economic potential of growing marihuana for other European markets as well. In this regard, Hungary is considerably falling behind.

The sudden accessibility of CBD oils further complicates the current situation in Hungary for household consumption since early this year; in February the Hungarian National Institute of Pharmacy and Nutrition (OGYÉI) started to distribute notification numbers for CBD oils which are required for registering and thus these products were put on the shelves of bio shops and pharmacies.

CBD (cannabidiol) is an agent of hemp which does not have psychedelic effects. However, it is being tested in clinical trials for its antispasmodic and antipsychotic effects.

The notification numbers provided by OGYÉI supposedly made the Hungarian market more regulated, but it constitutes a severe problem that these oils are currently classified as a nutritional supplement and are not quality controlled.

A lot of money is flowing into this market, and everyone speaks of CBD as green gold, while naturally, charlatans appeared. That is why MOKE wants to settle affairs in Hungary, which would potentially influence prices as well considering that these oils are currently quite expensive; a 1000 mg bottle costs 50-70 euros.

The change in the situation of medical marihuana calls for a change in regulations not happened yet. The Hungarian hemp industry is at risk of definitively being left out of this remarkably prosperous market.

New medical center opens in Budapest! – Saving lives without surgical operation

Premier Med Health Center (2)

A special medical training and research institute opens in Budapest which is considered to be unique in the Central and Eastern European region – as Hungary is the first country where surgical techniques will be taught and applied without incision – reported by Premier Med Health, Educational and Research Institute to MTI.

It has been pointed out that the application of procedures is being researched for curing several types of tumors, including heating-freezing treatments as well.

According to announcement of the medical center –

Soon, traditional surgical procedures will be replaced by modern techniques without incision; and will concern medication of several diseases. The procedure will be taught at the newly opening institute of Budapest for medical students of Semmelweis University and other internationally recognized universities. The health center is considered to be unique as it is the only hospital in the Central and Eastern European region where benign tumors are removed without surgical operation.

As the Hungarian news portal Blikk describes, procedures have been used effectively overseas; thanks to which, different types of tumors have been treated successfully. Experts hope that the applied method will become widespread in Hungary as well. International researches have been initiated in order to ensure that procedures will be used for curing other organs and malignant diseases.

It has been highlighted that – “The research methods represent a promising future for cancer treatment as well.”

Further researches are planned to be supported by EU funds. “The more than EUR 3 million investment is a important step in the field of health research, development and innovation in Hungary, providing significant public health goals, and serving as a pioneer in the region to raise the awareness of future health care staff of modern operations” – emphasized the research center; adding –

“the medical center is realized by the professional support of Semmelweis University and the European Society of Breast Imaging (EUSOBI); besides the purposes of healing, teaching, and researching – it also aims to keep healthcare workers in Hungary.”

100-200 treatments are scheduled for the first year, which can be doubled in the forthcoming years.

According to the announcement, Premier Med Health Educational and Research Institute was established by Premier Med Health Center, thanks to the professional support of Semmelweis University and the European Society of Breast Imaging (EUSOBI).

By today, the center’s doctors carried out more than 300 operations, which result is considered to be outstanding in Europe, so the institution will operate as a national and international training center as well, where thyroid surgery and removal of benign breast tumors with freezing procedure are also realized without incision.

Tragedy at a hospital in Budapest – Reporter from Kosovo bled to death while giving birth

Candle-grief

Budapest – a Television reporter from Kosovo, bled to death while giving birth at a hospital in Budapest. Three children are left orphaned; one of them is the newborn little girl.

The hospital’s Director confirmed the tragedy; however, refused to reveal further details. “Regarding the case – to protect privacy rights – our institution is not able to provide further information” – wrote in response to the Hungarian news portal Blikk.

As Blikk describes – the victim, Ardito S. († 32) was living in Budapest with her husband working as a diplomat. The tragedy already reached her home country, where she was a renowned TV reporter.

Ngadhnjim Kastrati, Director of RTK, released an announcement about the unexpected tragedy.

“We are deeply depressed by the tragedy. Arditi’s death is a big loss for the media world of Kosovo; she was outstandingly professional with exemplary respect and love towards her career.” – the Director described his colleague accordingly.

According to Zone E Lire magazine, several problems emerged that led to the tragedy. Even though doctors tried everything, straining all their forces to save the mother’s life; unfortunately, only the baby could be saved.

Based on the information provided by Blikk, Ardito bled to death during the operation. According to anonymous hospital sources, the most common cause of uncontrollable bleeding is the remaining secundine part after birth or Caesarean operation.

The acute coagulopathy may develop independently and can cause death even if doctors do their best to save the patient.

In case of all emergencies, the most critical issue is that the mother must receive medical help as soon as possible.

Blikk could not yet contact the diplomat husband, who is now left alone with the three small children.

A similar case in the summer

This summer, a 38-year-old mother bled to death in Hodász, after giving birth to her 9th children. According to the dead-examination certificate, the cause of death is a hemorrhagic shock, which occurred due to uterine rupture. The father filed a lawsuit against the hospital; he thinks his wife died due to medical malpractice. According to Blikk’s unofficial sources, the hospital did not make any mistakes; however, the case is still under investigation.

Hungarian acrobat’s dramatic accident in Bosnia

Circus acrobat

During an acrobatic performance on the trapeze, Lili lost her foothold and fell off in front of the audience. Miraculously, the Hungarian acrobat survived the accident with a broken vertebra. The girl is delivered home; she will be operated in Hungary.

Last Thursday, everyone got shocked in the Bosnian circus, where the magical performance was stopped due to a bloodcurdling accident –

A Hungarian female acrobat of the troupe, the 20-year-old Lili Picard slipped during the performance and suddenly fell to the ground.

Thanks to community effort, Lili is already delivered to Hungary, waiting for the necessary operation. Besides her family, the ‘artiste society’ also stands by the Hungarian girl – ready to give blood to their colleague.

The accident was eyewitnessed by the victim’s godfather as well. Lili was doing a swinging trick when she lost her balance due to a small slip. “Her feet slipped on the trapeze and fell off – about five or six meters” – recalled the anxious mother, Tünde Picard. “She was immediately taken to the local hospital; it turned out that her third vertebra was broken, but she could not be operated there.”

Lili’s godfather, Endre Picard, was on the stage during the accident. He would have been the next performer. The anxious family member immediately ran under the trapeze. “My son immediately ran there to help Lili. After that, he had to perform in four clown shows and make the audience laugh while he did not know anything about his niece. Unfortunately, this profession is like that – the show must go on… Of course, after the clown show was over, he left behind everything and rushed to the hospital” – commented Lili’s grandfather.

The ‘Picard’ is a famous circus family performing for more than 250 years; grandparents, Endre and Sarolta had been working as artists for 50 years; Lili’s godfather, Endre performs in the same troupe as his niece. Lili was born to act on the trapeze.

“Circus is in her blood, she grew up in this and wanted to do this since her early childhood. She has been working as an artist for two years, she loves this life, it means everything for her. After the accident, lying on the ground, she pointed at the trapeze to ‘say goodbye’ – added the grandfather.

As the Hungarian news portal Borsonline describes, Lili would like to continue her beloved profession.

”Now, we are trying to support her mentally. Lili is an adamant girl, she will do everything to recuperate, and will never give up. Everyone – her family, friends and the whole ‘artiste society’ stands by her” – said Endre Picard. 

Indeed, the Hungarian girl is supported by the whole ‘artiste society’ who immediately offered to donate blood before the operation. Everyone was at their help during the delivery process, including local doctors, Hungarian Ambulance Service, Capital Circus of Budapest, acrobats and other Hungarian unions. “I would like to say thanks to everyone who helped us” – the mother expressed her gratitude accordingly.

 

A Hungarian guy became the best nurse apprentice of Berlin

Hungary Hungarian Germany best nurse

In Hungary, he worked in the communications sector, but he was not satisfied with his job. Thus, he went to Germany and started to work there, and now he has the chance to become Germany’s best nurse.

He says that even though his job is very stressful, he learns a lot from the many different life situations he meets every day – 24-hu reported.

On his most stressful day, two of his colleagues could not come, so he and one of his colleagues had to take care of 18 patients. Therefore, he did not have enough time for them, but he said that

he remained in the hospital even after his shift ended

to be able to speak with an older man with advanced cancer. 

He is always positive, and he is always smiling. It is a pleasure to work with him and all his patients like him – this is how one of his colleagues nominated him into the contest in which Berlin’s best nurse apprentice was searched for. The 26-year-old guy won the award, but we can vote for Szabolcs until the end of September because

he has a chance to become the best nurse in Germany.

Not only the work ethic was important in the contest but also the story of the applicant. Szabolcs started health care training in 2016, and now he takes care of older people in Berlin after he successfully passed all his exams just a couple of days ago. 

He was convinced by his sister to go to Germany and try himself in the health care sector. Szabolcs was sceptical at the beginning because he did not speak the language, and he was not sure that nursing is his dream job. 

He graduated from the university as a communications expert, but he could not find a job in the commercial sector in which he received the professional help he sought. He even tasted burnout though he was only in his 20s. He lived in a village near Kecskemét and had to travel to his workplace more than 1.5 hours a day. He had to live home with his parents because he did not have enough money to rent a flat.

Many said that there is more in him.

It was hard in Berlin because even though he took part in dual training, so he worked and received a salary, the city was costly. However, it was worth it – he said to 24.hu. 

He added that the training was very stressful and complicated. He studied not only biology, anatomy and communication but also Psychology and hygiene. They also learned what to do with aggressive patients. 

Today, he works in three shifts, but he has more than enough work because labour shortage is a huge problem even in Germany. Szabolcs said that even though his friends respect him for working as a nurse

most people do not appreciate his job. 

He lives now a much better life than he did in Hungary but says that his profession is challenging both physically and mentally. However, he plans his future career in the health care sector because

he likes helping other people.

He does not exclude that in the future he will work in Hungary, but now he feels perfectly well in Germany and says that he can develop professionally much swifter there.

Separated Siamese twins said goodbye with a Hungarian nursery rhyme

Hungarian doctors successfully separate Siamese twins conjoined at head

Still, there are several challenges ahead, but the final separation surgery was successful.

It was revealed one and a half years ago that a three-member Hungarian medical team undertakes the separation of the Siamese twins from Bangladesh. After the last thirty-hour-long separation surgery in August, both of the little girls woke up, but they were still not in stable condition.

As the Hungarian news portal Borsonline describes, the girls’ parents are always by their side – the mother is constantly talking to her daughters. She is a strong, smart, and educated woman who has never broken down during this hard period. She stays strong, keeps struggling and praying, just like Hungarian doctors.

The head of the operating team, Doctor Csókay, repeatedly asked people to pray. “It was touching to see that recently in Bangladesh – before and after the separation – Christian and Muslim doctors prayed together hand in hand…”

“Great professional care, knowledge, and preparedness are essential in such a huge operation, but our faith in God is also needed.”

“…In the last one and a half years, I made anatomical practices more than 300 times in the early morning; it was such an important part of my day, just like prayer,” said Csókay to the journal Best.

Valéria Alexandra Sándor, Communication Manager of the foundation “Action for the Vulnerable” (Cselekvés a Kiszolgáltatottakért Alapítvány), said that she has become attached to the little girls during their stay in Budapest. 44 plastic surgeries were carried out here, led by Dr Gergely Pataki plastic surgeon. She added that it was difficult to say goodbye to the family; moreover, the little girls even learned a Hungarian song. They said goodbye smiling and singing the famous Hungarian nursery rhyme “Boci, boci tarka.”

Rabia – thirty hours after the surgery – asked her mother to take her in her lap; and since then, she speaks in complete sentences. 19 days after the operation, Rukia also opened her eyes.

Amazing! new details revealed about the design of the new hospital in southern Buda – PHOTOS

hospital, health, development

There were two successful tenders for designing one of the most significant investments of the Healthy Budapest Program. One of them, submitted by the M-Teampannon office, shared a number of prospective designs and layouts online.

According to Magyar Építők, the aim of the Healthy Budapest Program is to modernise, expand, and transform the Hungarian capital’s health infrastructure. The investment of 700 billion forints includes renovating buildings and building new ones for hospitals and doctor’s offices, as well as building central hospitals.

Four new central hospitals

hospital, health, development
Photo: teampannon.hu

These central hospitals will take on the role of being the central healthcare provider in certain districts of Budapest. The plans include building four such central hospitals, and three of them already have successful tenders regarding the design.

At the moment, the South-Buda Central Hospital (DBC) is at a stage where the one design that will be realised has to be chosen from two successful tenders. The choices are Tamás Noll’s M-Teampannon Ltd. and architect Pál András Rutkai.

hospital, health, development
Photo: teampannon.hu

M-Teampannon shared some prospective designs and layouts on their website. Their plans foresee the building of the central hospital having a spatial structure that is clear and transparent. Ensuring the easy movement of people was an important aspect to consider when designing both the inside and the outside of the building.

hospital, health, development
Photo: teampannon.hu

Therefore, the care facilities would be built in the shape of plum stone, while the children’s care unit would have the shape of an amoeba. Moreover, letting in as much natural light as possible was another significant issue to consider. Conservatories and a series of climate gardens would thus be crucial in the life of the new building.

hospital, health, development
Photo: teampannon.hu

In the centre of it all: people

Numerous experts are involved in the planning process to ensure that the most modern technologies of medicine can be implemented in the building in a timely manner. They also want to take on the responsibilities of a public healthcare provider at the best pace possible.

hospital, health, development
Photo: teampannon.hu

Plans of the central hospital promise to provide patients with VIP-level and extra-modern care. The place will be a patient- and human-centric hospital, showing a stark difference to what its predecessors are known for.

New negative record in the Hungarian healthcare system

 

 

New negative record in the Hungarian healthcare system

According to data of the Central Statistical Office (KSH), this year is the first time when expenditure devoted to healthcare service has fallen below 7% of the GDP. Out of the 6.9%, only 4.8% is financed by the state; the rest is paid by patients. 

Concerning the issue, Válaszonline carried out a comprehensive analysis; within the framework of which, the portal intended to find answers for the following significant questions:

 

1. Why do patients need to wait months or years for medical operation, when 14,000 hospital beds are empty?

The facts: 34% of hospital beds are empty, partly for financial reasons – money is not sufficient to carry out operations.

Development of the private health service is based on this contradiction. In order to avoid long waiting, patients choose private clinics; it does not matter that they need to pay more for these services. However, the majority of private clinics staff is made up of state doctors and nurses.

In order to alleviate the budgetary crisis, leftist governments took away significant amounts from the health system, by which state bankruptcy could be avoided. Since 2006, its financing is less than 8% of the GDP.

For this year, this ratio has even worsened – it is the first time when it has fallen below 7%. Furthermore, only 4.8% is financed by the state, while the rest is paid by patients, even in the most challenging situations.

Among Visegrád countries, Hungary and Poland are ranked in the last two places.

The lack of resources in Hungary can be explained by the remaining contradiction between waiting lists and overcapacity. According to the National Health Insurance Fund (NEAK), the occupancy rate of the 41,000 Hungarian hospital beds is 66%, out of which daily an average of 14,000 are empty since patients choose to spend their money for private health care.

The three possible solutions:

  • Elimination of “excess” – closing hospitals, clinics;
  • Enhanced marketing of those capacities which are not financed by the state;
  • Significant increase in health care spending.

The first two are politically too risky and professionally not justified. It could bring a solution if more money would be spent on health care, and modern technologies would be supported. Thus, the patient could spend less time in hospital and institutions could apply advanced techniques. However, the introduction of these procedures costs more in the short term; in order to stimulate this, a greater proportion of GDP should be spent on health care.

2. Why do patients feel more neglected if the news is continually reporting about financial supports devoted to the health care system?

According to Válaszonline, the significant amounts of financial support – which are reported in the news – are created by planning next year’s budget below the previous year’s actual figures. Therefore, hospitals are continuously accumulating debt; they cannot pay the bills. Their support is realised at the end of the year – when they get to the edge of operability.

3. How can happen that wages in the health care system are increasing, while its GDP share has reduced?

The facts: proportionally, less financial support was devoted to the operation of hospitals and clinics.

Expenses can be categorised into two main groups – 1. employee-related costs,  and 2. material expenses. Every year, these amounts are clearly recorded in the Budget Act. In 2012, the proportion of material expenses was 53%. In 2014, it dropped below the critical 50%, which index even decreased to 40% in 2018.

This year, this ratio is even worse –  below 39%. That is why patients feel that hospitals are characterised by a deficit. Meanwhile, the amount spent on wages has increased by 22%, which is an essential factor; however, not by neglecting material expenses.

Serious errors in the Hungarian healthcare system

Kórház - Honvéd

The directorate of Honvédkórház (“Homeland Defence” Hospital) has a serious responsibility in the death of one of their patients, says ambulance doctor Zsombor Kunetz. There are many errors in the management systems of all the hospitals in Hungary – the sector is at the brink of collapse. 

If the investigation ascertains the responsibility of the hospital’s associates, the directorate’s mistakes will also be revealed, says ambulance doctor and health care expert Zsombor Kunetz in his interview with Klubrádió (radio channel). He has said for a long time that the operation of Honvédkórház is not lawful. It has a separate place for surgery services, without any functional serving department. There is no radiologist on duty during the night who could do ultrasonography. Not only should the doctors on duty be judged, but also the main director of the hospital (who is a manager of military technology) because he is responsible for the management. There are not only medical mistakes in this issue but serious errors in the system as well.

What exactly happened?

The patient went to the emergency department of the hospital with a surgical referral. Surgery is always operating but in two different places. The other surgery is where the old MÁV Hospital used to be, but there was no radiologist to do ultrasonography. This is why the patient was taken back to the place where he had arrived first. In practice, the patient gets examined and is taken back “somehow” to the other surgery, so that the results can be evaluated and a decision can be made about whether further examinations are needed or not. According to Zsombor Kunetz, nothing has changed, and today, everything would happen the same way. 

Regarding the question about which hospital we should choose if we have a problem, he only replied that it did not matter at all – the same circumstances and problems are in every hospital of the country, and the system is about to collapse. Last time Hónvédkórház closed its gates for some hours again, the system was temporarily shut down because of IT development.