Poland will gradually increase healthcare spending to six percent of GDP by 2024, up from 4.78 percent this year, under a new law signed by the president on Wednesday.

This will bring Poland’s expenditure on health in line with the World Health Organisation’s recommendation.

Poland is also to pay its resident doctors PLN 600-700 (EUR 140-165) more each month, and increase pay for specialist doctors to PLN 6,750 (EUR 1,580) monthly, and do away with so-called opt-out agreements which allowed doctors to waive their right to work to a 48 hour per week cap.

The move aims to stop Polish doctors from emigrating.

The healthcare spending hike follows a resident doctor and allied health professional hunger strike and intense protests last year.

Last October, resident doctors held a nearly month-long hunger strike, demanding healthcare spending be increased to 6.8 percent of GDP by 2021, less red tape, shorter hospital waiting lists and better pay and conditions.

Resident doctors also wanted a pay rise to PLN 9,200 (EUR 2,200) gross each month, about double the national average gross wage, claiming that they earned some PLN 2,200-2,500 net, or about PLN 3,000 gross, and were working 80-100 hours each week.

The then-health minister was replaced in a government reshuffle earlier this year. (vb/pk)

Source: PAP