Gov’t pledges PLN 1m for Warsaw hospital paralysed by strike
PR dla Zagranicy
Roberto Galea
08.06.2016 15:25
The Polish government has said that it has earmarked PLN 1 million to finance a Warsaw paediatric hospital which has been paralysed by an ongoing nurses strike.
Photo: PAP/jakub Kamiński
The Children’s Memorial Health Institute (CDZ) in the Polish capital, one of the country’s foremost children’s hospitals, has closed four wards following a nurses strike which on Wednesday was in its 16th day.
“During the strike we decided to finance CZD to the tune of PLN 1 million from the budget reserve,” Health Minister Konstanty Radziwiłł said on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Beata Szydło announced that the government would present proposals for changes in the healthcare system in early July.
Nurses at the hospital are demanding higher pay and an increase in staff numbers.
The hospital authorities have warned that a further strike may lead to the facility closing and indicated that so far the nurses' protest has generated losses reaching PLN 5.5 mln (EUR 1.25 mln).
Executives claim that the maximum pay rise they can offer is PLN 250 (EUR 67) a month. Nurses have called for twice that amount. (rg/pk)