Government approves financial support for district hospitals

Cabinet spokeswoman Anna Veverkova has revealed that the government has approved financial assistance of 3.4 billion crowns to help district officials cover heavy debts by district hospitals. Regional governors will receive 2.7 billion crowns by the end of the year, while the remaining 700 million will arrive in 2004. The financial boost should help solve the current financial crisis in the health-care sector. Presently, the government is seeking ways to ensure that similar problems are not repeated in the future: a general plan for health-care reform should be submitted to the cabinet by Health Minister Marie Souckova, by the end of January.