Varga underscored that the number of departures is far less than the number of requests for departure submitted, noting that 673 physicians and 173 had applied to do so from their relevant professional chambers.
Last year specialisation courses were approved for 218 doctors for emergency response; 91 in anaesthesiology, 61 in paediatrics , 53 in gynaecology and obstetrics. The Ministry is processing applications by various health institutions for specialisation courses for this year and Varga is certain that the number this year will be at least equal to that last year.
The share of young people under thirty employed in the health system increased from eight percent at the beginning of 2012 to 12.4 per cent in March this year.
Minister Varga rejected the possibility of privatising public health and announced a settlement of hospital debts by 2017 when payment should be brought down to the legal deadline of sixty days.
Since the Croatian Health Insurance System (HZZO) was taken out of the state budget, hospitals are working more, their work is being paid and they are not incurring losses. Patients are waiting much less for treatment, Varga claimed, adding that the "mathematics of the entire new model rests on - who works more and better, is paid more."