HEALTH MINISTER PRESENTS BILL ON HEALTH CARE IN SABOR

ZAGREB, March 28 (Hina) - The government-sponsored bill on health care is a logical continuation of the health reform the parliament adopted today and resumes reform projects to the benefit of citizens, primarily patients, Croatian Health Minister Andro Vlahusic said in parliament on Friday. #L# Explaining the bill on health care to MPs, the minister said the bill would enable units of local government and self-government to plan and define the health care system, however, the government would have the final say. The government has proposed the introduction of companies in the health care system enabling participation in domestic and foreign markets, which particularly refers to convalescent homes. "Convalescent homes now operate as institutions, which considerably hampers their development, and those who want to invest should be enabled to make a profit," the minister said. The government does not intend to close down community health centres, but wants them to be put under a single administrative system, he said. The bill proposes improving primary health care in community health centres and re-introducing mental health centres. Counties will have a single urgent medical care system. The unification of administrative bodies will result in the cancellation of 130 managerial posts, 300 assistant posts and some 500 posts in steering councils, which also include local politicians, Vlahusic said. He warned that hospital doctors working without a permit in another institution will be sacked and recalled that 53 doctors with a Zagreb hospital had recently been given permits for additional work in other hospitals. The government wants to legalise and liberalise the system in which doctors are paid a fair price for their work and hospitals are given their share, Vlahusic said. The minister said a bill on the rights of patients was being prepared. (hina) rml