ZAGREB, April 20 (Hina) - Despite last year's financial rehabilitation, Croatia's hospitals wrapped 2002 with higher debts than those recorded at the end of 2001, Croatian Health Insurance Institute (HZZO) director Ljubica Djukanovic
said earlier this week.
ZAGREB, April 20 (Hina) - Despite last year's financial
rehabilitation, Croatia's hospitals wrapped 2002 with higher debts
than those recorded at the end of 2001, Croatian Health Insurance
Institute (HZZO) director Ljubica Djukanovic said earlier this
week. #L#
Talking to reporters after a session of the HZZO steering board, she
said hospitals racked up 2.3 billion kuna (EUR306.6 mln) in unpaid
liabilities to suppliers last year, of which 864 million (EUR115.2
mln) had not been serviced longer than three months. At the same
time, about 700 million kuna (EUR93.3 mln) was allocated the health
sector as part of the financial rehabilitation to service debts.
Djukanovic said that despite the major debts to suppliers,
hospitals were not bankrupt because they met payroll on time and
business was in order.
In 2002 hospitals should have cut staff, mostly non-health
personnel, but this was not done, so about 70 percent of hospital
budgets covers salaries.
The average gross monthly pay last year was 6,500 kuna (EUR867), or
4,430 kuna net (EUR591).
It has also been established that 80 percent of machines and
equipment in hospitals is ready for write-off.
Next week the HZZO steering board will decide what needs to be done
to curtail the further amassing of debts and analyse the extent of
services provided during a recent doctors' strike.
The HZZO leaders have announced 100 million kuna (EUR13.3 mln) will
be allocated drugstores to cover costs so as to reduce the debt
servicing period to 120 days.
(EUR1 = 7.5 kuna)
(hina) ha