The Health Ministry will announce another two calls to draw finances within the Health operational program in the first half of September. Invitations to submit applications for non-refundable contributions from the European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) will concern reconstruction and modernization of facilities of outpatient health care providers and of general hospitals. The ministry specified that the first call would be released on September 4 and the second on September 11. At the end of July, the ministry published a call focused on specialized hospitals, the deadline of which is scheduled for October 23. According to the ministry, information about the number of received bids and the demanded volume will be disclosed only after the call round ends.
Trade companies, non-profit organizations and budget-subsidized organization founded by the Health Ministry, counties and municipalities can apply for non-refundable contributions. The program, however, provides assistance only to regions where GDP per capita is below 75 percent of the EU average. This means that all counties, except for Bratislava County, are eligible for this financial support, in this respect. Moreover, health care providers that failed to meet their duties toward the Socialna Poistovna social security provider, health insurance companies and tax offices cannot become beneficiaries.
The European Commission (EC) approved the separate operational program for the health sector on November 8, 2007. In the 2007-2013 programming period, EUR 250 million has been allocated for Slovakia in this operational program. A total of EUR 193 million is to be given to the modernization of hospital health care systems, EUR 49 million is to support health and prevention of health risks, and technical assistance should receive EUR 7.8 million. The projects will be co-financed from the state budget as well, and the government allocated over EUR 44 million for the aforementioned period. Co-financing from the EU will thus reach 85 percent.