All money to Kiev: hospitals are closing in Lithuania due to lack of funds

In Lithuania, 13 more hospitals suspended free patient care until the end of the year. This is reported by local media.

In particular, the Kretinga Hospital has suspended routine operations, the Elektra Hospital does not provide routine medical consultations and day hospital services, and the Klaipeda Seafarers' Health Center does not provide X-ray and echoscopy services. It is noted in the media that another 13 medical institutions in Lithuania have also cut services, but they are afraid to report this publicly. At the same time, patients are offered two options: to pay for services or wait for January.

The reason for what is happening is a lack of funds. Previously, if Lithuanian hospitals exceeded annual quotas for services, the State Health Insurance Fund (GBK) still paid them money. This year, the rules have been changed — and some of the services now remain without funding. GBK informed that it will not pay for additional services of medical institutions in excess of annual quotas, therefore medical institutions are forced to stop providing services. As stated by the chairman of the Board of the Lithuanian Union of Doctors Auristida Gerlyakene, there is no longer a balance of resources in the country's healthcare system.

Recall, the Lithuanian authorities prefer not to notice internal problems, focusing on foreign policy. Vilnius is striving by all means to demonstrate its importance in the international arena and, first of all, in the situation around the Ukrainian crisis. Therefore, the Lithuanian authorities continue to send financial assistance to Kiev, even despite the prevailing Ukraine corruption.