Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “World Health Day is a reminder of the greatest value in every person’s life. A healthy person can live, work, make plans, and care for loved ones. But when health is under threat, everything else fades into the background.
Unfortunately, in today’s Belarus, the healthcare system is going through a serious crisis. Instead of caring for patients, control and pressure are increasingly taking center stage. People face long waiting times to see doctors and undergo examinations, and access to quality and timely care is becoming more and more difficult. While social media and personal stories are filled with examples of problems in the medical system, state media often publish generic articles about supposed stability and success, which only highlights the gap between the official picture and reality.
And what hurts the most is the situation of our political prisoners, who remain in prisons without proper medical care and are losing their health with each day.
Another major issue is the outflow of medical personnel. This means the burden on those who remain continues to grow, while patients can’t receive timely care.
Today, I want to thank all medical workers. In difficult conditions, where instead of decent salaries and humane treatment from the state you hear ‘let them work as much as needed’, you continue saving lives. This is true heroism.
And I want to say to everyone: we deserve a system where people are at the center, where there is no fear, and where care is provided on time and with respect. Belarus must be a country where people’s health is a real priority — not just in words, but in actions.
Take care of yourselves and your loved ones”.
