Slovakia healthcare system challenges and security

Data from the Office for Supervision of Healthcare and the General Health Insurance Company (VšZP) indicate significant strain on the Slovak healthcare system. As of September 2026, approximately 87,500 insured individuals were on waiting lists for inpatient or day-care services, primarily for eye and joint surgeries, with insufficient staffing cited as a major cause.

Concurrently, there has been a seasonal rise in psychiatric consultations. Monthly visits for anxiety and depressive disorders among adults increased from roughly 80,000 in August to nearly 91,000 in October. Mental health consultations for children and adolescents under 18 also rose from approximately 3,300 to nearly 4,700 during the same period.

In response to recent attacks on medical staff, such as an incident involving a nurse at the Kramáre hospital in Bratislava, Health Minister Kamil Šaško and Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Štoka announced increased police presence at accident and emergency departments. New security measures for state-run hospitals include the installation of panic buttons, audible alarms, de-escalation training for staff, and enhanced CCTV surveillance.