The state secretary in charge of health services said on Monday that the government is using 1.3 billion forints (EUR 3.3m) to finance repairs on hospitals’ air conditioning (AC) systems.
Péter Takács told public media that in the recent heat wave four hospitals, out of a total 81, had to reschedule operations. He added that “there have been minor problems (with air conditioning) everywhere but no urgent case was left unattended.” “Hospitals were able to resolve their problems through reorganising their services,” he said.
In view of heat waves occurring more frequently, the government started modernising the air conditioning systems in hospitals three years ago, having spent over 10 billion forints to that end so far, Takacs said, adding that 14 major hospitals across the country now had completely new systems.
On another subject, Takács noted that the European Union’s health ministers will meet in Budapest on Wednesday and Thursday. Their agenda will focus on making health care services resistant to the impacts of climate change.