Many areas of the healthcare system need to be reviewed, and Hungary needs to move towards a system that provides more reliable, faster and higher-quality care. We believe that resources spent on healthcare should not simply be regarded as expenditure, but as a long-term investment, since improvements in health have an impact not only on people’s quality of life, but also on the country’s economic performance and competitiveness.

At the conference organised by AIPM, together with key stakeholders from the healthcare sector, we explored what changes are needed to ensure that patients can access more predictable, modern and higher-quality care. Lívia Ilku, Administrative State Secretary at the Ministry of Health, spoke about the significant transformation that has begun in the Hungarian healthcare system in recent months. In addition to the establishment of the new Ministry of Health, the National Health Insurance Fund will also be established, while the medicine reimbursement system and the regulatory framework for managing medicine shortages will also be reviewed. The aim is to create a sustainable, predictable and high-quality healthcare system that provides patients with the best possible access to care and therapies. The State Secretary emphasised that achieving this will also require cooperation and partnership among stakeholders across the sector.

The health status of the Hungarian population and the financing of the healthcare system were also key topics at our conference. Prevention and health education remain areas where significant progress is needed: alongside the development of screening programmes, health-conscious attitudes should also be strengthened through education. The strengthening of primary care and the reorganisation of the out-of-hours care system were also discussed. Tamás Boros, Director of the Egyensúly Institute, pointed out that the financing of the Hungarian healthcare system compares unfavourably at both European and regional levels, while out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure remains high. According to data presented at the conference, the health status of Hungarians falls below the European average in several respects: smoking, overweight and social isolation remain significant problems, and overall, an average Hungarian lives approximately five years less than an average EU citizen.

In our view, resources spent on developing healthcare should therefore be treated as an investment in the future. Spending on healthcare and innovation can not only improve individuals’ quality of life, but can also have a positive impact on the economy and society as a whole in the longer term.

“The data clearly show that the amounts spent on the sector and on innovation are not simply expenditures, but long-term investments in people’s lives and well-being, in the country’s competitiveness and in economic development,” said Dr Katalin Szalóki, Director of AIPM.

This approach is also reinforced by our campaign entitled “We have to make a decision. How important is our health?”, which aims to encourage joint thinking among decision-makers, healthcare stakeholders and society. We consider it important that Hungarian patients gain access to modern, innovative therapies as quickly as possible, as in many cases these can not only save lives and improve quality of life, but also reduce the burden on the healthcare system. At the same time, the role of the innovative pharmaceutical industry goes beyond patient care: life sciences research, clinical trials, research and development investments and high value-added jobs can also make a meaningful contribution to Hungary’s economic development.