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Federal Councilor Alain Berset (48) has been preaching for days: all hospitals should postpone non-urgent operations, so-called elective interventions, to avoid overloading the health care system. On Thursday evening, French-speaking Swiss television RTS will be direct: the warning finger goes to German-speaking Switzerland.
“You cannot praise federalism throughout the year and then not participate in an emergency,” says the Minister of Health. French-speaking Switzerland depends on being able to relocate patients. “Across Switzerland, a third of intensive care places are free,” says Berset. But that is not the case in Geneva, Freiburg or Lausanne, which is why solidarity is necessary now. The cantons have always said that they are capable of tackling the crisis. “Then they should do that too!” Berset demands. And he cursed: “J’allais dire nom d’un chien!” – translatable as “damn it again!”
Zurich is still stubborn
Berset’s warning finger should also be aimed primarily at Zurich, because the most populous canton has so far rejected the order of the federal Bern. Health Director Natalie Rickli (43) can be quoted in the “Tages-Anzeiger”: “Currently it is not necessary to cancel all elective interventions. Zurich hospitals react flexibly as needed. “And according to” CH Media “newspapers on Wednesday, the canton of Thurgau also sees no reason to ban its hospitals from intervening in elections.
According to “Tages-Anzeiger”, the Zurich hospitals initially refused to accept patients from Geneva, but in the meantime there has been an understanding. For his part, Rickli ensures that he will respond to inquiries: the place is there.
“Hospitals do it well”: Zurich doctor rejects Berset’s accusations(02:19)
Fear of financial loss
The cantons seem to be worried about finances. Because in the spring, non-urgent operations were prohibited, which had led to empty beds in many hospitals. “The Federal Council is not yet willing to compensate hospitals for lost revenue,” Rickli criticizes.
There are also unanswered questions about funding at the Swiss Association of H + Hospitals, as director Anne-Geneviève Bütikofer recently told SRF. Regulation is needed on how losses are covered in the case of empty beds.
Berset cannot force the cantons, as he made clear on Wednesday. Because, unlike the spring, the Federal Council has not proclaimed the emergency law, the “extraordinary situation.” (gbl)
