Prime Minister Golob: “A Strong and Stable Public Healthcare System Is the Cornerstone of the Welfare State”

In his introductory remarks, the Prime Minister underlined that public healthcare remains this Government’s foremost priority. “The public healthcare system has been, and continues to be, at the top of this Government’s priorities. A strong and stable public healthcare system is the cornerstone of the welfare state. After three and a half years of our term of office, we can proudly say that we have not only succeeded in carrying out some of the most demanding reforms in this sector, but that we have strengthened public healthcare through these reforms,” the Prime Minister emphasised. 

He highlighted that teamwork and professional collaboration are essential in the healthcare sector. “I am convinced that a congress such as this not only contributes knowledge, but also brings experts closer together — and ultimately, it is the public that will benefit, which is what matters most,” he noted. 

The Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction with the progress achieved in Slovenian paediatric cardiology, which has advanced significantly in recent years. “The public trust which had, at least in part, been lost in the past has now been restored, thanks to you — the dedicated staff of the University Medical Centre Ljubljana,” he said in tribute to those present. 

“It has been demonstrated that top-level medicine, when providing world-class multidisciplinary care for the most vulnerable — children — can thrive within our public healthcare system. I am delighted that you are now working with increasing independence, that you have built an extensive network of professional partnerships, and that you bring together exceptional experts,” the Prime Minister added in his acknowledgement of healthcare professionals. He went on to note that the Permanent Slovenian–Bavarian Mixed Commission has enabled fruitful cooperation between the TUM University Hospital German Heart Centre and the University Medical Centre Ljubljana, and that the cooperation agreement was signed on the 50th anniversary of the Commission’s establishment. 

The Prime Minister stated that the Government will continue to work towards further strengthening public healthcare. “Our legislative efforts are not confined to the past; in the future they will continue to focus on strengthening public healthcare in all its dimensions — not only through structural reforms, but also through investment, equipment financing, and the development of a better working environment for you, the professionals and the workforce,” he said. 

He underlined that, regrettably, cardiovascular diseases remain one of the heaviest burdens on the healthcare system, as they are the leading cause of death and generate significant treatment costs and prolonged periods of sick leave. For this reason, he noted, further efforts in cardiology will be essential to ensure better and faster care for patients. 

In his address, the Prime Minister placed particular emphasis on an important achievement of Slovenian cardiology. “Slovenia ranks among the leading countries worldwide in the number of heart transplants per capita, and we are proud to successfully conduct heart transplants in children as well. Being among the best gives us the inspiration to attract others to join us. This, in my view, is also the purpose of this congress,” he stated. 

In closing, the Prime Minister once again paid tribute to those gathered and wished them continued success in fulfilling their important mission. “The Government will stand by you and support you in all your endeavours. Through your dedicated and conscientious work, you not only provide hope and a brighter future, but also inspire all of us to do everything within our power to support society as a whole – a society in which our children can grow up in a healthy environment and under healthy conditions,” Prime Minister Robert Golob concluded, wishing the participants successful and productive cooperation at the congress. 

The Slovenian Congress of Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery holds significant importance for the Slovenian medical community, as it was the first occasion on which experts in paediatric cardiology, paediatric cardiac surgery and intensive care medicine were brought together in a comprehensive forum in Slovenia. The congress focused on the latest approaches to treating children with heart failure and congenital heart defects, as well as on the exchange of experience with international experts.