LOZ Welcomes Plan to Build New Hospital in Bratislava, But Has Reservations (2)

Bratislava, May 6 (TASR) - The Doctor Labour Union Association (LOZ) welcomes the plan to build a national university hospital in Bratislava, but it believes that the planned capacity of 950 beds does not reflect the needs of a nationwide medical facility. LOZ is also calling on the Finance Ministry to carry out an independent analysis of the project through the Value for Money department, LOZ chair Peter Visolajsky stated at a press conference on Tuesday. In addition, Visolajsky urged the government to ensure transparency and keep the public well-informed about the hospital’s construction. “We view this step as well as the determination behind it positively. We hope that instead of words and promises, Slovak patients will finally see real action,” Visolajsky said, adding that LOZ does not intend to obstruct the project. The union warned that the proposed hospital in Vajnory area, with 950 beds, falls short of the needs for a comprehensive national university hospital that is intended to serve as a top-tier facility for the entire country. According to LOZ, the hospital should have at least 1,200 to 1,250 beds. “We don't know of any national hospital in neighboring countries — or anywhere in Europe, for that matter — that has as few beds as the one currently proposed by the government,” said LOZ member Dalibor Fedak. For comparison, he noted that the national hospital in the Czech Republic has over 2,400 beds. LOZ also argued that the low bed count contradicts the government’s commitment outlined in a joint memorandum, which promised at least 1,150 beds, a campus for medical students, a public hospital laboratory, and radiodiagnostic departments. The union pointed out that the proposed hospital in Vajnory appears to be the same building project as the one under construction in Presov, where the cost is estimated at €550 million and the plan includes 1,200 beds — even though Presov's facility is only a regional hospital. LOZ thus questioned why the Vajnory project would cost over €1 billion. The union wants Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) to clarify these concerns through an analysis by the Value for Money department. “This analysis wouldn't require new spending, since the team is part of the Finance Ministry, and it wouldn't delay the project,” Visolajsky said. Fedak added that Razsochy project had previously been identified as the most suitable site for the national hospital. It already has a building permit, a completed design, and favorable transport access. “The government could begin construction there practically immediately,” Fedak noted, adding that the project has received final approval from the Ministry of the Environment. “If the ministry justifies that construction in Vajnory offers better conditions, we are open to that — if the location is better, faster, and they can truly complete it by 2030,” added Visolajsky. mf