Poland's Ministry of Health seeks funds for pediatric care deficit

The Polish Ministry of Health is seeking urgent financial assistance to cover rising costs in pediatric healthcare. There is a projected deficit of up to 3.6 billion PLN required to fund medical services for children and adolescents that have exceeded the limits set in contracts with the National Health Fund (NFZ).

In the first half of 2026, the value of pediatric over-limit services reached 1.4 billion PLN, significantly surpassing the annual statutory limit of 840 million PLN allocated from the Medical Fund. The Ministry has formally requested the President's office to consider a legislative amendment to increase these funds, specifically addressing the chairman of the Medical Fund Council, Professor Piotr Czauderny.

Data indicates that healthcare costs for patients under 18 increased by approximately 80 percent between 2022 and 2025, totaling an 8.7 billion PLN rise. This growth is largely driven by hospital treatments involving expensive procedures and modern technologies. The situation is compounded by a broader 14 billion PLN deficit within the overall National Health Fund budget.