By: Domen Mezeg (Nova24tv.si)
While the government and Minister of Culture, Asta Vrečko, are concerned about the state of partisan monuments (Franja) after the recent storm, the conditions in many hospitals across Slovenia are unbearable. Vrečko was lastly shaken by the state of the partisan hospital Franja, which was heavily affected by the storm. The government could allocate more time to address “current issues” and resolve the situation at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana, where patients struggle with 40-year-old air conditioning units, and the patients are showered three times a day. More information can be found here.
Let us remind you that the government of Janez Janša, along with its ministers, often visited hospitals and other healthcare institutions during their regional visits. Janša, together with the then Minister of Health, Janez Poklukar, visited the children’s hospital in Šentvid pri Stični, the hospital in Slovenj Gradec, Šempeter pri Gorici, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, University Medical Centre Maribor, the hospital in Murska Sobota, and others. On the other hand, with Robert Golob and his ministerial colleagues, there seems to be less interest in healthcare and visiting outdated healthcare facilities in the field, etc. While a lot is said about healthcare, little seems to be done.
Moreover, during the previous government’s time, there was an increase in investments in hospitals and nursing homes for the elderly (more here and here), while in periods of left-wing governments, money was spent on expensive studies. Under the current government, healthcare is regressing. We have the impression that the government team focuses more on the state of partisan monuments than on “current issues” (as they like to call them). The Minister of Culture, Asta Vrečko, was “moved by shocking scenes” of the damaged Franja museum hospital after the storm. If the government representatives were equally “moved” by “current issues” that healthcare is facing, we would not have 40-year-old air conditioning units at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana, and there would not be a need for patients to be showered three times a day (example).
People are dying while waiting in long queues, and there is a shortage of doctors, especially family physicians, in Ljubljana and elsewhere. The healthcare system is collapsing under Zoran Janković’s leadership (here). Potential pollution of the Ljubljana aquifer will only worsen the health situation in the municipality (here). It is time for the government to forget about the grievances of historical fighters from textbooks and take better care of the health of currently living Slovenians. Here are some suggestions to the government on which hospitals to focus on in the future: the hospitals on Vrazov trg in Ljubljana, the nursing hospital on Pohorje, the nursing hospital in Maribor, etc.