Polish Doctors Demand Deputy Health Minister's Resignation Over Failed Dialogue

The Polish medical establishment is at a breaking point with the Ministry of Health, with the Supreme Medical Council (NIL) calling for the immediate resignation of Deputy Minister Katarzyna Kęcka. The NIL, representing physicians across Poland, has declared that dialogue with the deputy minister is "absolutely impossible" due to her alleged unprofessional conduct and disregard for legal procedures.

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We do not agree with letters in which the minister directly encourages us to break the current laws. We do not agree with conversations in a manner that does not allow for conversation. A minister for dialogue should conduct dialogue, but today this dialogue is absolutely impossible.

Łukasz Jankowski, President of the NIL, detailed the grievances, accusing Kęcka of employing methods that are not only counterproductive but also detrimental to the medical profession. "We do not agree with letters in which the minister directly encourages us to break the current laws," Jankowski stated, adding that Kęcka's approach is characterized by "lecturing, insulting, and an atmosphere where work is impossible." He stressed the need for a minister responsible for dialogue to actually engage in constructive conversation, a stark contrast to the current situation where attempts at collaboration have repeatedly failed.

A significant point of contention involves Kęcka's handling of regulations concerning doctors from Ukraine. Following a new law effective May 1st, Ukrainian doctors are required to provide proof of Polish language proficiency (B1 level) to continue practicing. However, Kęcka reportedly sent a letter suggesting that medical facilities should delay revoking the licenses of Ukrainian doctors who haven't met this requirement, hinting at a potential future amendment. Jankowski condemned this as "not a serious way of treating social partners and legal regulations," arguing it undermines the rule of law and treats the medical community as mere implementers of the ministry's directives.

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We need dialogue with the ministry, not lecturing, insulting, and an atmosphere where work is impossible.

The Ministry of Health, in response, has accused the NIL of evading oversight regarding state subsidies. This counter-accusation highlights a deep-seated conflict and a lack of trust between the regulatory bodies and the government's health administration. The NIL's demand for Kęcka's dismissal underscores a broader struggle for professional autonomy and respect within Poland's healthcare system, emphasizing that a functional healthcare system requires genuine partnership and adherence to legal frameworks, not top-down directives and personal animosity.

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This is not a serious way of treating social partners and legal regulations; it is treating us as people who should carry out the ministry's orders from above. This is not what dialogue and cooperation look like.