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Lukashenko comments on initiative to change requirements for medical workers in private clinics

MINSK, 10 September (BelTA) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has commented on an initiative to change the requirements for medical workers in private clinics during a meeting to discuss the licensing of certain types of activities in Minsk on 10 September, BelTA has learned.

The bill to amend the licensing laws prepared by the Economy Ministry, proposes, among other things, changing the requirements for work in the private healthcare sector. For example, it would increase the required length of service in a state institution from 3 to 7 years and make it mandatory to hold at least a first qualification category, including for mid-level medical workers.

“Many people have doubts about the advisability of the proposed changes to the requirements for working in the private healthcare sector,” the head of state said. “Does it mean that state organizations are becoming a springboard for private business? Or not?”

The president asked whether there was any analytical data on how many medical workers leave for commercial organizations and for what reasons.

“Is this migration of healthcare workers to private practice happening everywhere? How will the proposed measures help strengthen the staffing reserves of state healthcare institutions?” Aleksandr Lukashenko asked. “On the other hand, if we leave everything as it is, to what extent will private medicine be involved in addressing the social tasks of the state? And more broadly, how does public-private partnership work in this area?”

“In general, we need to take a look at both state and private healthcare. We always talk about equal conditions and so on. But are the conditions really equal? Probably here, too, some of it comes down to pricing, to price,” the head of state added.

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