– I do not disappear anywhere, I do not go away, I remain an MP, I remain in the public space. I am returning to my profession, I am a cardiologist, electrophysiologist, I would like to treat patients – said Szumowski.
SEE: Łukasz Szumowski has resigned. Conference of the Minister of Health [OGLĄDAJ]
As he said, talks on this subject had lasted for many months. – The gentlemen’s agreement between me and the prime minister and president (PiS Jarosław Kaczyński – ed.) Was such that I had to finish some matters important for Poland and at least complete and implement the health care computerization system – he explained.
“This is the time”
– Today I decided that this is the time. We have a system of unanimous hospitals built in Poland, we have an extensive network of laboratories. We managed to achieve the fact that in Poland there were not tens of thousands of deaths, as in the countries of Western Europe, much richer than us, Italy and France – he said.
SEE: Łukasz Szumowski in the “Gość Wydarzeń” program. Transmission from 19:25
– We have increases, but we also have a functioning economy. Thanks to her, we will have money to treat other diseases – added Szumowski.
Łukasz Szumowski is a cardiologist and professor of medical sciences. After graduating from the Medical Academy in Warsaw, he and his wife worked for a month in Calcutta, in the first nursing home established by Mother Teresa. A year later, he started working at the Institute of Cardiology in Warsaw-Anin. In 2002, he obtained a doctoral degree in medical sciences, and in 2010 – a habilitation degree. He received the title of professor in 2016 during the term of office of President Andrzej Duda.
SEE: Janusz Cieszyński leaves the Ministry of Health
From 2011, he was the chairman of the specialist team for life sciences at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. In November 2016, he became undersecretary at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education headed by Jarosław Gowin.
He served as the minister of health from January 9, 2018, when he replaced Konstanty Radziwiłł as part of the reconstruction of the government of Mateusz Morawiecki. In the parliamentary elections in 2019, he ran for the Sejm from the first place on the Law and Justice list in the Płock constituency. He won 35,798 votes and was elected an MP. He reappeared as the minister of health on November 15, 2019.
The opposition’s allegations
From the beginning of the epidemic, Szumowski was responsible for the strategy of fighting the coronavirus in the country. The first confirmed case of SARS-Cov-2 infection in the country was recorded on March 4, 2020. The minister began to appear regularly in the media and press conferences, informing about further restrictions, and in the following months – about their lifting.
At the end of May, the Civic Coalition submitted a motion for a vote of no confidence in Szumowski. The head of PO, Borys Budka, informed at the time that the Minister of Health “put into great doubt the possibility of its further functioning in the public space”. It was, among others about the reports of “Gazeta Wyborcza” that “the ministry – overpaying and without checking the quality – bought protective masks for over PLN 5 million”. “A ski instructor, a friend of Łukasz Szumowski’s family, earned on this. The transaction was facilitated by the brother of the Minister of Health” – the newspaper reported. Opposition deputies also accused the minister of “too late preparations to fight the epidemic in Poland”.
SEE: A vote of no confidence in Szumowski. The Sejm made a decision
The motion was rejected in the vote on June 5 with 237 MPs. Szumowski himself said that “instead of focusing on the fight against the epidemic, which is not over yet, on the protection of jobs”, the deputies “analyze false reports, slander and slander”. – After three months, you go to the podium and give good advice. Congratulations. Usually they are not worth a pound of fluff – he referred to the opposition’s allegations.
Prime Minister Morawiecki, while defending the minister, added that “actions that were then taken were taken in the war mode”. – In such a mode, decisions are sometimes made that are biased. The decision to buy masks is made in minutes, said the head of government.
“The Coronavirus Challenge”
Further reports of the possible resignation of the health minister began to appear at the end of last month. As of July 28, over 500 cases have been recorded daily. The record fell on August 8, when 843 new infections were announced. This information coincided with the information from United Right politicians about the government reconstruction planned for autumn.
SEE: The Minister of Health will leave the government? Szumowski’s declaration
– God forbid, I don’t want to leave. There is now a challenge of the coronavirus – said the Minister of Health on July 31 in “Guest of the Events” when asked about media reports whether he was considering leaving the ministry.
The July CBOS survey shows that nearly half of the respondents (48 percent) trusted the minister of health. Distrust of the head of the health ministry was expressed by 29 percent. respondents. Szumowski came third in the ranking of politicians’ trust after President Andrzej Duda (who was trusted by 54 percent of respondents) and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki (51 percent).
Janusz Cieszyński resigned from the post of deputy health minister last Monday. “Today is the last of my 944 days of work in the Ministry of Health. The decision has already been postponed several times, but thanks to that also well thought out” – assured the deputy minister on Facebook. He served as the Undersecretary of State from 2018.
bas/ml/msl/ polsatnews.pl
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