Speaking in parliament, Tusk said Health Minister Jolanta Sobierańska-Grenda had taken on a particularly challenging role, adding that demand for medical services "inevitably outstrips available resources."
"Everyone needs a doctor at some point, and most people will need hospital care in their lifetime," Tusk said. "There is no amount of funding that would be enough to ensure effective, immediate treatment in every case. Poland is no exception."
He said the minister’s priority is to build on existing progress in medical technology, procedures and hospital care, rather than waste previous efforts.
Tusk also said Sobierańska-Grenda had signalled a willingness to seek cooperation across party lines, instead of engaging in political confrontation.
He quoted her as asking whether she could approach President Karol Nawrocki, an ally of the opposition, to explore areas of collaboration and avoid vetoes on proposed reforms.
The prime minister acknowledged that more funding is needed for healthcare but urged lawmakers to "respect the facts," noting that public spending on the sector has more than doubled in recent years.
He said healthcare spending rose from PLN 102 billion (around EUR 24 billion, USD 28 billion) in 2019 to PLN 236 billion (EUR 55 billion, USD 65 billion) in 2025.
At the same time, Tusk said "budgetary constraints" were tightening due to increased defence spending, with Poland allocating nearly 5 percent of its gross domestic product to the military and national security.
"We will not reduce these expenditures," he said, adding that Poland’s defence spending was among the highest in Europe.
"We must act within current realities and spend the available funds wisely," he told parliament.
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Source: IAR, PAP