Hungary’s health minister has announced a wide-ranging reform programme designed to rebuild the country’s healthcare system, placing patients at the centre of care while improving transparency, oversight, and long-term sustainability.
Speaking at a healthcare management conference in Budapest on Tuesday, Health Minister Zsolt Hegedűs said healthcare has become a government priority, describing the establishment of an independent Health Ministry as the first major step toward reform. ‘The healthcare system has moved to the top shelf,’ Hegedűs said, adding that professionalism and transparency would be the key drivers of change.
A central element of the reform package is the creation of the Healthcare Quality Control Authority, an independent body that will operate separately from the ministry under the leadership of transplant surgeon Balázs Áron Nemes. The authority will oversee minimum service standards, quality improvement, patient complaints, and the coordination of healthcare research and innovation.
The minister also confirmed plans to transform the National Health Insurance Fund (NEAK) into a genuine health insurer under the leadership of Zoltán Kaló, replacing what he described as its previous role as little more than a reimbursement office. Hegedűs acknowledged that healthcare systems worldwide struggle to balance financial constraints with timely access to care, but argued that Hungary’s healthcare sector remains underfunded both in nominal terms and as a share of GDP.
The government is continuing efforts to secure European Union funding, he said, with part of an initial 500 billion forint (1.25 billion euro) funding package earmarked for long-term wage increases for healthcare professionals and strengthening primary care services.
Addressing staffing shortages, the minister described Hungary as facing a healthcare workforce crisis, stressing the need to better reward nurses and specialist doctors. He said the government hopes to encourage healthcare professionals working abroad to return not only because of improved salaries but also because of a renewed professional culture.
According to Hegedűs, additional funding alone will not solve the sector’s problems. Structural reform and a shift in institutional culture are equally important. ‘We want to create values instead of serving interests,’ he said, adding that, unlike the previous government, the current administration intends to publish objective performance indicators to show the actual condition of the healthcare system it inherited.
The minister also announced several immediate policy changes. The government will abolish restrictions preventing hospitals from communicating publicly, remove facial recognition systems from hospitals by Semmelweis Day on 1 July, and restore mandatory membership in Hungary’s medical chambers. Hegedűs described the current period as a unique opportunity for reform, warning that failure to seize the moment would represent a missed chance to fundamentally improve healthcare.
Earlier in the conference, State Secretary for Specialist Healthcare László Buga said the ministry’s first priority would be conducting a comprehensive assessment of hospitals and identifying their real operational challenges.
Hospital managers have been asked to provide candid assessments of their institutions, while professional bodies and medical chambers will also be consulted as part of the review process. Buga said the ministry aims to establish a genuine partnership with healthcare institutions and highlighted the need for further salary increases for healthcare workers. He also criticized the fragmented nature of Hungary’s healthcare data systems, noting that more than ten separate databases currently store operational and workforce information across different organizations. ‘There are numerous parallel registries operating in what appears to be a redundant manner,’ he said, arguing that while data collection is essential, the information must be used more effectively.
The state secretary also advocated for a ‘precision public health’ approach that would identify specific population groups requiring targeted public health interventions.
Buga noted that although the Health Ministry was officially established on 2 June, its separation from the Ministry of the Interior remains ongoing. The new ministry must establish its own budget and administrative structures while continuing to manage day-to-day healthcare operations.
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