Poland: the media at the expense of public health?

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By: Thomas Giraudeau Follow

In Poland, deputies from the Law and Justice party preferred to extend the budget for television and public radio rather than that for the fight against cancer. The health system, in bad shape in the country, suffered a new blow.

Publicity

from our correspondent in Warsaw,

Since the vote on this budget extension on February 13, the controversy has only swelled in Poland. Because the choice of the deputies of the Law and Justice party is to give more money to " lies, slander, manipulation ", as described by members of the opposition.

Since their recovery in late 2015, public television and radio are considered by many experts as propaganda channels for the ruling power. During the vote, in the Diet, the Polish parliament, of these 2 billion additional zlotys, the opposition shouted with scandal, repeating the word " Hanba!" "," Shame "on the member who defended this funding in the gallery.

In addition, the behavior of the elected official greatly fueled the controversy. After her speech, Joanna Lichocka addressed a finger of honor to the members of the opposition.

PiS in #Poland gives 2 billion złotys (= 500 M euros) to the budget of public television, propaganda tube for the party rather than to fight against cancer ... Deputy PiS rapporteur of the project makes a finger of honor to the opposition in Parliament ... @RFI pic.twitter.com/FDDwUOhDuD

An unprecedented provocation in Poland

Lichocka apologized for his gesture, but claims to have actually wanted to remove something from his eye and then his cheek, with his middle finger. An explanation considered not very credible when looking at the video images of the hemicycle.

The opposition immediately took up this gesture, declaring that it was also addressed to all Poles suffering from cancer. They will not be entitled to an additional 2 billion zlotys to fight their disease.

Research and cancer control programs in need

A figure and a paradox illustrate this lack of funding. Poland has fewer cancer cases than other European countries, but the death rate is much higher there. Just over 200 out of 100,000 Poles die from cancer. The Poles have less chance of survival than the Germans, the French or the Spanish, for example.

In question, radio exams, like MRIs, performed too late because they were too expensive. Hospitals also lack money to precisely determine the state of progress of the disease and offer the most suitable treatment.

A funding program for oncology has been adopted by the government. He plans to invest 450 million zlotys per year by 2023. This amount is slightly lower than the budget extension granted to the public media.

Health at the heart of the presidential campaign

The first round of the presidential election will take place on May 10. A few days ago, the candidate of the main opposition party went to a hospital in the southeast of the country, in great difficulty. At the same time, the outgoing president, Andrzej Duda , was in a meeting with his supporters.

For the opposition candidate, it is a good communication move. Duda has the famous controversial law on his desk. Will he promulgate it and grant the additional 2 billion zlotys to the public media? Or will he veto?

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• Poland
• Andrzej Duda
• Health and Medicine
• Media

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