Health minister: Health sector not bad, but changes will take time

Slovakia does not have a bad health sector; it is neither catastrophic, nor a black hole, said Health Minister Tomáš Drucker on the news television TA3's discussion programme on Sunday. Drucker is aware of the fact that the financing for the system is insufficient and that people complain about long waiting times to see specialists and about the poor condition of health-care facility buildings. The minister wants additional money to flow into the health sector as early as this year. A proposal might be prepared in April or May. In connection to Slovakia's bid to host the European Medicines Agency, which will relocate from London following the departure of the UK from the European Union, Drucker said on Thursday in the Parliament that Slovakia is interested in getting the agency. At the moment, the Health ministry is cooperating with the foreign ministry to prepare the bid. According to Drucker, Slovakia's advantage is that so far it has no European agency, it is economically strong and located in safe surroundings.