Priorities of SYRIZA on health: uninsured, greek medicines, hospitals
SYRIZA's health program includes, among other things, 24-hour operation for the hospitals, increased pharmaceutical expenditure by 350 million Euros, upgrade of EOF and IFET and abolishment of the private company ESAN SA, responsible for the salaries in hospitals.
Early elections are close and the parties announce their governmental agenda. The basic wish of most citizens, health institutions and entrepreneurs, is to have government in order to avoid uncertainty and illiquidity. The latter would be really harmful and dangerous for the country.
SYRIZA, as all polls show, will be the first party, with or without the ability to form a government, so is interesting to see the plans of SYRIZA with respect to health care and medicines.
The Uninsured, the staffing of the NHS and RPHL, increasing the budget for health and growth of pharmaceutical expenditure, are the pillars on which moves the program of the Opposition.
The policy of SYRIZA gives an emphasis on the uninsured and vulnerable groups, as the executives of the party have noted many times. Besides, the enormous number of 3 million people who have lost their insurance coverage is a major social and economic issue. The party chairman Mr. Alexis Tsipras, and the members of the opposition highlight that there are always ways to find money and be directed to real needs.
According to Mr. Tsipras, who spoke last Saturday in the Party Congress, the program for immediate response to the humanitarian crisis and the supporting of those with low pensions, includes: Free electricity and feeding vouchers for at least 30,000 households, housing assurance program, 13th pension to low income pensioners with a pension below 700 Euros, free medical care, special travel card and abrogation of the excise tax on heating oil.
The words "dignity" and "democracy", had been used many times by Mr. Alexis Tsipras during his speech on Saturday, sending a clear message of his policy.
The Primary Health Care is basic issue for the Opposition, emphasizing on the direct recruitment of primary care structures in perspective of an integrated public system. This includes reopening, upgrade of laboratories, recovery of the infrastructure (staffing of health facilities with new medical staff and lift of the injustice against the former doctors of IKA-EOPYY).
The ambulance service - which will be upgraded - will provide major assistance, since will interface with all structures of primary care and the reference hospitals. Also, they will be provided school health programs, family planning and measures for public health in an area (with intersectoral cooperation).
Regarding the health costs, SYRIZA speaks for gradual but rapid onset, guaranteed increase in public health expenditure, with perspective of the average EU of the developed countries, at a depth of 3 years and based on the progress of negotiations on the debt. The memorandum's austerity policies and enhanced health are incompatible, he says.
For NHS hospitals, SYRIZA advocates the operation of the hospitals outside business hours, for the emergencies, in order to avoid long waits. The regular evening operation should relate to activities that are mainly secondary and have long wait: Specialized clinics, specialized medical tests, "cold" surgeries.
Also this plan is not recommended for general application, but mainly on the regional hospitals or hospitals over a number of beds, and as long as necessary.
The program for the NHS also provides:
- Direct Change of the Management model of public hospitals and public health structures, aiming on efficient, transparent management, the introduction of social control, social efficiency of the system with protection of public funds,
- Immediate preparation and implementation of the coverage plan for the inaccessible and island areas, by exploiting scientific and economic incentives.
Review of integrated computerization of public hospitals, building on the existing systems but without monopolistic assignments.
Regarding with recruitment, SYRIZA, according to the head of SYRIZA Health sector, Giannis Baskozos, has already been committed to recruit 2,500 doctors and 5,000 nurses, in the first half of 2015.
The plans of SYRIZA for medicine and public pharmaceutical expenditure are also ambitious, since the party is committed to increase expenditure by 360 million Euros which will be added in the 2 billion Euros, and will be directed to the vulnerable group of uninsured and indigent. We consider that this objective is feasible, says Mr. Baskozos, if we use Greek generics in percentage of 70%.
Immediate upgrade of EOF-IFFET. Promotion of use of domestically produced, quality controlled generics, in order to support domestic production. Rationalize of the pharmaceutical expenditure (not necessarily further decrease) in cooperation with the doctors, with the main aim to fully cover all the necessary medication by reducing the financial burden on patients. Protection and enhancement of the pharmacists, to ensure nationwide network for availability of medicines.
The pharmaceutical industry and research are important parameters in the effort for reconstruction. There will be a decisive public intervention in order all citizens to have access in the necessary medicines.
Transparent correct pricing will be a priority. The upgrading of EOF-IFET will be a key feature of pharmaceutical policy. The involvement of the pharmaceutical industry to the plan of productive reconstruction will be a key issue in terms of employment legality, environmental protection, employment growth, domestic needs but also confidence.
We do not accept the memorandum's opinion for a collapse in pharmaceutical expenditure per capita, but we will not tolerate the continuing phenomena of corruption and transaction, says Mr. Baskozos, adding that the medical and pharmaceutical research may under certain conditions, to be a privileged field for the development and employment of qualified scientific personnel. The target is the stimulation of the activity of universities and public research institutions.
