Podunajské Biskupice Fears for Hospital's Future After Talks with Minister

The decision by the Ministry of Health to relocate the specialized hospital for long-term patients from Podunajské Biskupice is met with outrage and deep concern by the local administration and residents. Mayor Roman Lamoš unequivocally rejects the ministry's justifications, particularly the economic arguments, stating that the hospital's closure would dismantle essential long-term healthcare services in Bratislava rather than improve patient safety.

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The state has no interest in its further operation, and certainly not in its development. That is, unfortunately, the most fundamental message for me from Thursday's (16. 4.) conference on the optimization of healthcare in Bratislava and the Bratislava Self-Governing Region, from which I left indignant and extremely disappointed.

From our perspective at the local level, this move signifies a blatant disregard for the needs of vulnerable patients and the community that relies on this vital facility. The ministry's claim that consolidating services will enhance patient safety is viewed as a dangerous oversimplification, potentially leading to reduced access and a decline in specialized care. The lack of a clear 'Plan B' for patient care post-relocation further fuels our apprehension.

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We perceive it completely the opposite way – such a step is dangerous. We have real concerns that the demise of the hospital and the dispersal of its beds for long-term patients to other Bratislava hospitals would not mean the preservation of so-called follow-up healthcare in Bratislava and its surroundings, but on the contrary – its decline, unavailability, and gradual end.

The economic rationale presented by the state is particularly galling. We firmly believe that healthcare should not be dictated by profit margins. The primary purpose of public healthcare is to treat patients, not to be a profitable enterprise. To view this specialized hospital solely through the lens of economic charts is to fundamentally misunderstand its purpose and to embark on a path that jeopardizes patient well-being.

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We refuse to have healthcare viewed through the lens of economic graphs and tables. State healthcare is not here to be profitable at all costs, but to heal. Otherwise, it is a path to hell.

We are mobilizing our community, as evidenced by the 8,000 signatures on our petition, to fight this decision. The state cannot simply ignore the voices of its citizens who depend on this hospital. We will continue to advocate for its preservation and development, demanding that our concerns are heard and addressed before any irreversible steps are taken.

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The state must not just ignore the voice of 8,000 people who have signed our petition for the Biskupice hospital to this day.