G.Nausėda’s criticism on slow vaccination: is it time to ask for the “head” of A.Dulkis?

G. Sausėda lacks active SAM actions to promote vaccination against COVID-19.

“It seems like there is simply no plan of action, be it a 130-point plan in December or at least a 5-step plan to promote vaccination now.” Today, all opportunities and responsibilities are in the hands of SAM ”, said the head of state at a press conference this Wednesday.

G. Nausėda made it clear that if the situation does not change, the question of the responsibility of A. Dulkis will arise.

“If we continue to delve into the footsteps of the turtle, we will certainly have to ask ourselves who needs such a SAM if we are not yet close to that 70%.” About the goal of vaccinating 70% of G. Nausėda spoke with the adult population.

A. Dulkys responded to the president’s words by saying that Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė would make the decision on her personal responsibility, and claimed that she had heard criticism about her slow vaccination before becoming minister..

“I already assumed responsibility when I came to this position (…) The Prime Minister invited me, the Prime Minister will call me,” said the Minister of Health.

The problem is not A.Dulkys

Speaking of G. Nausėda’s criticism of A. Dulkis, the largest of the ruling coalition faction – the Liberal Movement – in the Seimas, Major Eugenijus Gentvilas said that the president must feel frustrated, formulate goals and objectives, which can not having been very measured, expressed alone.

He recalled that even then the position of the head of the country was received with some skepticism by the representatives of the Government, it was said that it was unrealistic and similar.

“It just came to our notice then.” Whether SAM or the Minister of Health is, of course, the person the President wants to point out, “says my deputy.

According to E. Gentvilas, it is now necessary to analyze in a very rational way whether the idea that 70% are vaccinated by July 6. the population has certainly been measured.

The politician considered that when we see that such figures do not exist in other countries of the European Union (EU), it may not have been measured.

“Another thing: I really don’t want to blindly put my head on SAM and say they did their best. I think there is still a reserve. We are talking about this, and the municipalities also have incentive schemes for vaccination.

Apparently, this could also happen at the national level, and such actions could be accompanied by government decisions. This, apparently, can always be said: it could have been better. Probably, ”said the liberal.

A.Dulkys has rarely been seen in public lately, Deputy Minister of Health Živilė Simonaitytė was participating in the regions with I. Šimonyte to get interested in vaccination processes, there is still no vaccination information campaign promised by SAM for a long time .

It is true that it has been announced that A. Dulkys will travel to Kretinga, Palanga and Klaipėda on Thursday to discuss the vaccination and testing processes in the municipalities.

According to E. Gentvilas, driving through the municipalities would be a demonstration activity. He does not know if this would speed up the vaccination of the population.

According to the elder of the Liberal Movement of the Seimas faction, the advertising of vaccines could be constantly updated, revised, supplemented with new arguments and the like.

Commenting on whether the minister should be changed, E. Gentvilas said he would be in favor if he knew that this would lead to people getting vaccinated starting next week.

“Well, it is not A. Dulkys the problem. Yes, maybe he is not doing everything right, he is not doing it or he is not doing anything, but we will see the extent of vaccination in other European countries, where A. Dulkys probably has not gone since his oath in the Seimas. The same is happening throughout the EU: first there was hunger for vaccines, then that questioning, suspension, etc. of AstraZeneca and other vaccines. The same happens everywhere.

I am always disappointed that Lithuanians only look through understanding of their yard, not seeing what is happening in neighboring shipyards or neighboring countries. Unfortunately, the EU as a whole cannot boast about the rate of vaccination, and after removing A. Dulkis, you can build whatever you want, Aurelijus Veryga. Do you think this will suddenly make them enthusiastic about antiviral vaccines? No, it won’t happen ”, thinks E. Gentvilas.

There is a lot of talk and where does it work?

According to A.Veryga, former Minister of Health, Deputy Elder of the Lithuanian Peasants and Greens Union (LVŽS) faction of the opposition Seimas, the president’s criticism of A. Dulkis is justified.

He noted that even during the approval of the Government, G. Naus dijoda said that A. Dulkis was granted a trust loan in a kind of advance. He also recalled the remarkable 130-point pandemic management plan, which appears to have been little.

“It just came to our knowledge then. Of course, you could play that card before, apparently, that someone hadn’t done something before, but there was talk that they would run out of those who wanted to get vaccinated and there would be enough vaccinations and people to cheer them on from the beginning. from the beginning.

Apparently, it is that responsibility does not pass to the first, as you wish. It seems logical that the president now raises the issue of the responsibility of the current head of ministry. Because basically it is their job to manage these processes ”, commented the“ farmer ”.

R.Veryga agrees that a minister will not vaccinate people, he will not surround them, not even standing in the square to agitate will necessarily be heard.

On the other hand, as the vice president of the Seimas LVŽS faction points out, the minister is not one, but part of a great system.

According to A.Veryga, he has repeatedly made at least some practical suggestions on how to speed up vaccination.

He believes that vaccination should now be allowed to anyone who can, both GPs and other doctors. The politician said he had not yet heard why the vaccination process in pharmacies was not gaining momentum, which is lacking.

“The ministry talks a lot about what it will be like, but in reality you don’t see much of what will happen. And we’ll go home and things like that, but the question is how far do we go. And communication. Now people gather for indulgences, it is summer, a time when there are places where people just gather and meet naturally.

There are people who are authorities especially for the elderly: priests, clergy. You have to talk to them, ask them to spread the message, encourage them. Even physically looking for places to meet (city vacations, discounts) everywhere, vaccination should get a person up to speed. It should be easily accessible so you don’t have to travel far, search, have a hard time registering, and the like. It really is still something that can be done, and the Minister has those opportunities. At least it can create preconditions for the system, “the former Minister of Health is convinced.

It really is still something that can be done and the Minister has those opportunities. You can at least create assumptions for the system.

Should the “head” of the minister be required? According to A.Veryga, it is the president who decides.

The representative of “Valstiečių” reiterated that he had many and diverse observations for A. Dulkis. The minister, in his opinion, is making many mistakes.

“It seems to me that the minister has already been burned in a certain sense, because from his speeches you can see that he is already getting angry, and here are those comments about the heads of medical institutions, about mobbing and other things. Well, it seems like he’s overwhelmed, it seems like maybe he’s underestimated his strength. Although he says publicly everywhere, “I knew where he was going”, it is very similar to me that he did not really know where he was going and what awaited him, and what skills would be needed here.

So far, it seems that not only does he not befriend the system, but the further away, the more cocks I listen to, who are more opposed to him with the managers, with the system itself, “said A. He added that A.Dust disagreements with the Seimas Health Affairs Committee headed by conservative Antanas Matulas.

Efforts must be focused

Jūratė Novagrockienė, a political scientist at the General Jonas Zemaitis Lithuanian Military Academy, said G. Nausėda’s criticism of A. Dulkis was partially justified.

When SAM’s new management started working, according to her, there were some distractions, communication problems, ambiguity in the specification of one or another procedure, say, due to the quarantine conditions. There were also objections to the vaccination process.

At the same time, the political scientist pointed out that it must be borne in mind that this was the beginning of the Government’s work.

And he fell like a fly into the serum. In other words, in a really very difficult situation and I had to work right away. From what I can remember, they sat and worked there at night because they were really looking very responsibly, ”he said.

According to J.Novagrockienė, G.Nausėda wants 70% to be vaccinated before Mindauginiai. population, was a bit outside the realm of utopia.

Back then, when this statement was made, the supply of vaccines stagnated, and other things, it was not clear how it would fare, and then we followed it, when a lot of people were vaccinated, the municipalities also contributed a lot to that. .

“Now to insist and say that, well, you haven’t vaccinated 70 percent, the public is pushing, that’s really a complex reason here and you need to work at all levels. Perhaps the president himself should show some leadership, not blame others.

It is not just about saying, for example, that this should be done, it is a problem that does not even have the influence to implement and enforce it. It is, of course, that everyone is to blame, but not the president, who created this model that is not entirely achievable, ”commented Professor of the Lithuanian Military Academy General Jonas Žemaitis.

Therefore, it would be too great a punishment if someone had to resign as a result.

According to J. Novagrockienė, on the contrary, everyone’s efforts should focus on convincing the public to get vaccinated.

“Well, if he (G.Nausėda – ed. Past.) Likes to talk about it, if he meets and talks to people, then he should talk about vaccines, not other things.

In other words, I don’t think the transfer of all responsibility to SAM is entirely justified. It is, of course, responsible, but it requires a concerted effort, not just a ministry. I think it may be an exaggerated requirement, too demanding, to assume responsibility ”, reiterated the political scientist.

At the same time, J. Novagrockienė said that more SAM activity is needed; here the criticism of G. Nausėda is very true.

He mentioned that sometimes the public ministry seems like an accounting body that counts how many vaccines, how many have been used, how many people have been vaccinated and things like that.

“It is clear that there should be a lot more initiative and really work with the places as well. The main thing, perhaps, at least as this spring practice has shown, is that it still achieves the highest result at the municipal, municipal level. (…) SAM should be a leader and look for levers on how to further convince groups that avoid vaccination, ”said J. Novagrockienė.