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Election10: SDKU-DS Launching Its Campaign with Blue Ambulance
Tuesday 20 April 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Kosice, April 20 (TASR) - MPs Viliam Novotny and Peter Markovic, candidating for SDKU-DS in the June 12 general election, sprinkled their so-called Blue Ambulance with a saline solution on Tuesday, launching the healthcare campaign of the party.
"We want to go out and discuss the state of our healthcare with people. As a means of transport, we've chosen the Blue Ambulance [an allusion to the critical condition of healthcare in Slovakia, the ambulance is painted blue in the colours of SDKU-DS, which used the slogan 'Blue is good' in the 2006 election - ed. note]," said Markovic.
The Blue Ambulance represents one of a dozen vehicles that are unused. "These vehicles can't serve the people, as the Government has favoured privileged pre-selected companies in the ambulance tender," said Markovic, highlighting that the state-owned paramedic service in Bratislava procured new ambulances at €24 million in a dubious tender. According to him, more than €9 million was squandered this way.
Novotny said that people actually pay more for healthcare, contrary to Fico's claims. In 2005, Slovaks paid on average €125 when visiting a doctor or buying medication at drug stores, whereas the average sum in 2009 went up to €215. He said that SDKU-DS aims to improve the health status of people, increase patient satisfaction with the healthcare system and protect them from higher charges.
"Therefore, we propose to introduce a maximum level of charges by doctors to €10 per month, and immediately abolish the system of referrals [issued by physicists when sending a patient to a specialist - ed. note]," added Novotny.
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