Health care for people in the border regions is now possible again
St. Pölten (OTS / NLK) – Corona has resulted in border closures and therefore a standstill in cross-border healthcare. The projects are now starting up again. “These medical lighthouse projects are unique in Europe. The Landesmlinikum Gmünd in particular is an important anchor for the people in Lower Austria and the Czech Republic for the former border region. Thanks to its cross-border activities, the Landesklinikum Gmünd was able to treat 1,600 Czech patients annually. This number shows that these international flagship medical projects are needed and are only possible with European freedom to travel, ”said Minister for Europe Karoline Edtstadler and Chairman of the Lower Austrian Government, Martin Eichtinger. The costs of the treatments in the other country are covered by the social insurance of the patient.
“The corona crisis has been the greatest challenge for the European Union since it was founded. At the same time, she also showed where her strengths and weaknesses lie. Many advantages of the EU have long been taken for granted, such as freedom of travel, which also makes cross-border healthcare possible. COVID-19 reminded us that these freedoms and advantages are not a matter of course, but must be worked on every day to preserve and further develop them, ”said Minister for Europe Karoline Edtstadler.
Cooperation can also take place again in the project “Together Boundlessly Healthy”. “More than 300 women have already been successfully treated at the Melk endometriosis center. More than 30 women were also able to fulfill their wish to have children, ”said Eichtinger.
With the opening of the border to Slovakia, the exchange between the State Clinic Hainburg and the Children’s University Clinic Bratislava started again. Since the opening of the border, a neonatal transfer has been successfully simulated in a joint exercise.
The “HEAL NOW” project between Wiener Neustadt and Sopron, which started in January, has strengthened digital collaboration despite the corona situation. “Together, they upgrade the digital pathology in order to network in a research platform and thus identify tumor diseases at an early stage and shorten the time to diagnosis for life-saving patients,” said Eichtinger.
Further information: LR Eichtinger office, Mag. Markus Habermann, phone 02742 / 9005-12361, email markus.habermann@noel.gv.at.
Questions & contact:
Office of the Lower Austrian State Government
State Office / Public Relations
Philipp Hebenstreit
02742/9005-13632
hurry@noel.gv.at
www.noe.gv.at/presse
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