The Sejm is to deal with a PiS motion for a vote of no confidence in Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna. On Wednesday afternoon, after a meeting of more than three hours and a heated discussion, the Health Committee gave a negative opinion of that motion, in favor of rejecting it. The ruling coalition defended the minister in committee, and is likely to do the same again in plenary.
Health Committee in favor of rejecting motion of no confidence in Health Minister
Published Nov. 21, 2024 09:46
The list of accusations against Leszczyna was long: from the termination of the "Good Meal" pilot program (nutrition in hospitals, a program launched by Minister Katherine Sójka during the election campaign, which incidentally was used in that campaign) to bringing the health care system to the brink of the abyss. There were allegations that were untrue (such as the withholding of funding for the SMA treatment program, which never happened, although there were problems with the implementation of the drug program in some centers, by the way, and they did not only affect SMA), and those that are difficult to dispute (the failure to fulfill election promises, such as the introduction of a dental voucher, or the introduction of e-registration for doctors, which was supposed to be realized within the first 100 days of the government).
Leszczyna, who appeared at the Health Committee meeting along with the entire leadership of the Ministry of Health (despite divisions over the hospital bill, against which Deputy Minister Wojciech Konieczny had openly spoken out), and was also accompanied by the president and vice president of the National Health Fund and the Patient Ombudsman, refuted the allegations made by the Law and Justice (the motion was justified by Katarzyna Sójka and Janusz Cieszyński) - and the quality of most of the arguments contained in the motion did not make her task too difficult. Leszczyna said at one point that the only indisputable charge on the Law and Justice list was the hole in health care finances. - This is an accusation you should make against yourselves," she stressed, adding that it was the previous government that was responsible for the NFZ's financial plan for 2024, and that Donald Tusk's government has already added PLN 21 billion to health, and will add another PLN 2 billion by the end of the year.
The ruling coalition deputies defending the minister emphasized her wisdom and diligence. With thunderous applause they greeted the information that thanks to the in vitro program, which has been financed from the state budget since June, there have already been more than 5,000 pregnancies - Minister Leszczyna, informing about this fact, did not hide her emotion.
