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Health minister: I’m going to patch the holes in the Gesy bag

covermoh kanari
Health Minister Popi Kanari

If the national health scheme (Gesy) fails, the whole state will collapse with it, Health Minister Popi Kanari said on Saturday.

She said that the she believes a quantitative and qualitative analysis needs to be run on Gesy to “patch the holes in the bag”.

In statements to CNA, the new health minister said that her ministry has many challenges to deal with, but that she will focus on the problems with Gesy first, to keep standards high.

She said that the ministry will take the necessary steps to deal with overcrowded A&E departments at state hospitals, adding that she will visit them in the coming days to see the problems they face up close.

“I will visit the hospitals immediately, mainly the A&E departments, the pathology units and the respiratory departments, which are dealing with large numbers of patients. I will certainly examine the problems, why there are delays, and why there are complaints from patients, so that we can immediately solve the serious issues,” she said.

Kanari said that there were many complaints to deal with, adding that if there is a will there is a way to solve the issues.

She said that it is unacceptable for suffering patients to enter the hospitals and not receive quality care and medical support that should be expected of a European state.

The ministry will make efforts to solve the “tragic” problems that affect the health sector.

She requested that she have time to carry out the programme, which the president has put for the cabinet.

“I believe in time limits as well. And we will try in this timeframe to solve as many issues as we can,” she said.

Kanari added that she believes in conducting checks, because without them there will be no development or upgrades.

Regarding Gesy, the health minister said that she feels that every patient must be dealt with equally and has the same rights to receive correct and quality care.

Asked what she will do to better the health system, she said that she will speak with the health insurance organisation (HIO) and the state health services organisation (Okypy) to tell them what changes she was in mind.

She would not be drawn on what changes she has in mind, saying that she first needs to talk with the organisations.

“I want to have their consent to a large extent, so that we can take steps together and climb the stairs together. To create a good team with a common vision, so that we walk on the same path, with the same thinking and passion,” she said.

She added that she believes in mutual respect, saying that she is not afraid of the work and the challenging goals she has set.

 

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