Waiting lists are the biggest problem of the health care system in Hungary

According to the latest survey of Republikon Institute, people regard waiting lists, immigration and the devastated state of hospitals the most significant problems of the Hungarian health care system. 24.hu summed up Republikon’s the report.

Healthcare: government and opposition supporters agree

In fact, Daily News Hungary reported many times about the devastated state of the Hungarian health care system. In this issue, government and opposition party supporters share the same opinion: it needs improvement. Republikon’s first related report was done in 2017 while the last one in February. However, the results are the same in both cases: half of the population thinks that health care is one of the two most significant problems of Hungary.

According to an international research of Ipsos MORI Social Research Institute done in 27 countries,

72% of the Hungarians mentioned health care system among the three most significant problems of the country.

This is why Republikon conducted a survey regarding only the health care system. They were curious about what the most significant problems in healthcare are.

First are the long waiting lists (84%) while second place went to the immigration and the lack of doctors (83%). Interestingly, nobody answered these two questions that waiting lists or immigration are not problematic at all. Third are the outdated medical equipment (79%) which is followed by the devastated state of the hospitals (77%). Then comes the salaries of the health care employees (71%) and the long waiting time for the ambulance (69%). Interestingly, parasolvency – a kind of mandatory gratuity given by the patients to the doctors and nurses – was problematic only for 68% of the people. The least people (65%) regard the lack of appropriate information a problem.

The government sees only successes

From a party preference point of view, it can be stated that

government supporters are more permissive, but still dissatisfied.

For example, long waiting lists are regarded problematic by 94% of left-liberal, 88% of Jobbik and 80% of government supporters. Furthermore, the rate is similar in case of immigration. Besides, 76% of government, 82% of Jobbik and 88% of left-liberal supporters think about the outdated medical equipment as a problem.

According to 24.hu, the government mostly evades talking about the problems of the health care system. If it is inevitable, they emphasise the successes of their governance. For example, János Mészáros deputy state secretary for health care stated that they raised salaries, reduced the length of the waiting lists and introduced one-day surgery.

An answer of Bence Rétvári, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Human Resources exemplifies well the tactics of the government.

Two MPs of the Socialist Party asked him about how many doctors and nurses are missing from the health care system and what are the reasons they moved abroad. Instead of giving a proper answer Rétvári questioned the worry of the Socialist MPs and stated that it is purely political and said because of the elections.

In fact, according to 24.hu,

there are 293 unfilled positions in 48 settlements.

Furthermore, there are huge problems regarding waiting lists, as well. For example, not long ago a famous singer posted on Facebook that though she was diagnosed nine years ago with endometriosis she received an appointment for surgery in 2022.

According to the National Health Insurance Fund of Hungary, there were 28,081 patients were waiting for surgery in January. This number was 400 less in December.

Photos: mti.hu, Facebook.com

Source: 24.hu