HEALTH MINISTER ANNOUNCES FINANCIAL STABILISATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH

ZAGREB, April 20 (Hina) - Croatian Health Minister Ana Stavljenic Rukavina on Thursday presented the work of the Health Ministry in the past two and a half months. The main task in the period since she took office was to consolidate financially public health, launch reforms and change management boards in hospitals, Stavljenic Rukavina told a news conference. According to Government's estimates, debts in the public health system amount to 3.2 billion kuna (about 400 million US dollars), and according to reports of the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance (HZZO), there is one billion more of debts (additional $125 million). Minister Stavljenic Rukavina said it was decided that 1.7 billion kuna ($212.5 million) should be settled through the HZZO bonds which will be bought by a bank syndicate led by Zagrebacka bank. "This means that in the coming two or three months the health system will be stabilised financially," the minister told reporters and announced that subjects in the health system would pay each other within 90 days in the future. The main reason for this accumulation of debts in the health system is unstable sources of income in the public health, she assessed. A great number of companies have failed to pay health insurance contributions. According to her, Croatia is to get a loan from the Council of Europe, valued 480 million kuna ($60 million) for the reconstruction of war-damaged hospitals and clinics. (hina) jn ms