Hungary PM defends mass evacuation of hospital beds

BUDAPEST: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban defended on Friday his decision to free up thousands of hospital beds for coronavirus patients, despite criticism by some experts who say the move endangers the lives of people with other serious medical conditions.

On April 7, Hungary’s minister in charge of health ordered hospitals to keep at least 60 percent of the country’s around 70,000 hospital beds free for patients infected with COVID-19. "We are right in the middle of a large military-like operation, which is causing discomfort," Orban said in his weekly public radio address on Friday.

"Obviously, this was an uncomfortable decision, but we can’t solve it differently," he said. Hungary, which has a population of almost 10 million, has recorded nearly 1,800 COVID-19 infections and 156 deaths.

But Orban said the number of cases was expected to grow significantly as Hungary "enters a mass infection phase." "We hope for the best, but are preparing for the worst," he said. Hungarian media have reported that hospitals are struggling to relocate patients, some suffering from chronic ailments, either to other medical institutions or to the homes of family or relatives.

The abrupt dismissal of two hospital directors who failed to comply with the order sparked protests by staff. Experts, too, argue that Hungary’s current rate of coronavirus infections does not justify the move. "It is not possible that 30,000 people will be sick at the same time," Ferenc Falus, a former chief medical officer, told a press conference on Thursday.