Minister of Health Ögmundur Jónasson met this morning with the management of the Vestfjörður Health Institute and local councilors in the region. After that, he held a meeting with the organization's staff in its dining room at Torfnes in Ísafjörður.
He explained the situation there, tithing the government's debt position and the situation we are in because of it. Among other things, it was stated in his speech that the cuts in the health care system are a drop in the ocean of debt, even though only interest payments from the government's debts abroad are being talked about. He therefore emphasized that cuts in the health care system are a fact and that they will continue, hopefully temporarily.
He then only discussed the merger of institutions in the Westfjords, where the Patreksfjörður Health Institute was to merge with the Vestfjörður Health Institute on March 1st. There will probably be some waiting for the merger, as there are still a few knots to be tied and the waves of dissatisfaction that have arisen due to these merger processes have to be lowered. He emphasized that no one would be forced to do anything in these upheavals, but reiterated that there was now a great need for consensus on action, otherwise it would not be possible.
Finally, the minister opened the door to questions and handed Hildur Elísabet Pétursdóttir a letter from the Vestfjörður branch of the Association of Icelandic Nurses, which states that they feel the cutbacks were misused and want an explanation of the planned cutbacks.
The minister and his entourage then ate cutlets in a grater with most of the staff of the institution.
Head.: UN