2024-08-05 20:09:44
“I was on a job interview. We certainly talked with the president about the aspects of the health care system that are most troubling to the president. We touched on topics such as cooperation with medical communities, cooperation with municipalities in the context of the reform of health care institutions. We touched on matters related to the availability of health care services and the topical issue of queues,” A. Pečkauskas told reporters after the meeting with the country’s leader on Monday evening.
According to him, problems with the availability of new medicines, the situation at the Klaipėda University Hospital, and budget issues of the Compulsory Health Insurance (PSI) fund were also discussed with G. Nausėda.
“It will definitely not be possible to solve everything. We are probably talking about the main things – we are talking about the implementation of the program of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, we are talking about the continuity of works, we are talking about the smooth implementation of those continuous works. We are not talking about some big changes in the direction that is currently being formed in the health care system”, explained the candidate to replace the minister Arūnas Dulkis.
“Naturally, the health care system is probably always complex. And no matter how much we solve things, those problems will always be there,” he added.
A. Pečkauskas noted that, in communication with the medical community, it is intended to finalize discussions on the branch’s collective agreement by autumn. Also, the ministerial candidate promises smoother cooperation with the entire community of doctors.
At that time, when asked if he promised any changes in the reform of the health care institutions network, which received criticism, A. Pečkauskas indicated that there would be no major changes in this matter. True, he emphasized that it is extremely important to ensure the smooth implementation of changes.
Vice-ministers would be sought in the current SAM team
Currently, A. Pečkauskas is one of the two deputy ministers in the Ministry of Health (SAM). If he were to become the head of the institution, A. Pečkauskas let it be known that he would look for a person from the ministry’s structures as vice-minister.
“The current political team is not as empty as it may seem to many. We really have a great, pretty extensive team of advisors. And I really hope that all these people, if a decision is made for me to become a minister, will stay and travel this way to the end,” he hoped.
“We really have the opportunity to think about these positions within the internal team,” he answered when asked about the future vice-ministers.
He spoke with the prime minister about the ministerial candidacy last week
When asked at that time when he received the Prime Minister’s invitation to replace Arūnas Dulkis, who has received criticism from the Presidency in recent months, A. Pečkauskas indicated that he had spoken with Ingrida Šimonyte last week.
“The prime minister’s discussions with the president developed last week. I really didn’t know about any results before either,” he said.
“All the discussions developed last week, it is natural that these processes are together,” he clarified.
ELTA reminds that Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė presented the composition of the renewed Government to the President last Friday. The head of the government is changing two members of the cabinet – Minister of Agriculture Kęstutis Navickas and Minister of Health Arūnas Dulkis. The chairman of the current Seimas Economic Committee, conservative K. Starkevičius and the deputy health minister A. Pečkauskas were respectively nominated for these posts. There are no changes in other ministries – the names of the same ministers are submitted for approval.
The Presidency has already made it clear that the future of Agriculture Minister K. Navickos in the Government is most doubtful. In recent weeks, the Minister of Health A. Dulkis has also been criticized. However, the president himself did not name specific names publicly.
For her part, I. Šimonytė said that she had no objections to the ministers being replaced, but that she made the decisions in order to achieve “constructive work of the Government”.
The Cabinet of Ministers is formed and reconfirmed after the Government has returned the powers to the newly elected sworn-in President.
As provided by law, ministers are appointed and dismissed by the head of the country on the recommendation of the prime minister.
2024-08-05 20:09:44