PM promises to raise doctors' salaries

Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek has promised to raise doctors' salaries by about 8 percent from October 1st of 2005. In a meeting with doctors, insurance companies and heads of hospitals, about the problems of the health sector, the Prime Minister said the state would provide financial help but he expected hospitals to assist the process by cutting back on expenditures. Hospital heads recently threatened to restrict services and reduce the quality of care if they did not receive more funding.