Slovakia's Pandemic Response Criticized for Poor Planning

The Slovak Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ) has released a comprehensive analysis of the country's pandemic response, revealing significant shortcomings in the health system's preparedness and management. Conducting five major audits and producing three analytical reports, the NKÚ aims to ensure that lessons learned from the pandemic are utilized to enhance future crisis readiness. The report highlights Slovakia's alarming drop in life expectancy during the pandemic, particularly in 2021, where it, alongside Bulgaria, recorded the most significant decline in the EU. Key findings of the audit include deficiencies in the procurement of medical equipment and inadequate stockpiling of essential supplies. Notably, from 2008 to 2020, no crisis management authority recognized the necessity to bolster emergency reserves with critical medical supplies. By mid-September 2020, the State Material Reserves held only 16% of required medical supplies, raising concerns about the country's readiness for health emergencies. The report also addresses the impact of the pandemic on education and the financial support provided to citizens and local communities. As of the end of 2022, Slovakia had over 6.1 million doses of unused vaccines, with discussions around their donation remaining unresolved. Bolech Dobáková from NKÚ noted that while some vaccines were donated, the decision's appropriateness has not been evaluated. The topic of pandemic management continues to be a pressing issue in Slovakia, with NKÚ planning to conduct follow-up audits to assess the implementation of improvements aimed at better preparing the country for future crises.