ÖGK and Vamed Staff Protest Planned Sale of Rehabilitation Center
Vienna, Austria
March Against Privatization
The Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) and the staff of Vamed, a leading healthcare provider, have joined forces to protest the planned sale of Vamed's rehabilitation center. The sale, which has not yet been finalized, is seen as a threat to the accessibility and quality of healthcare in Austria.
On Tuesday morning, ÖGK and Vamed employees held a protest march in Vienna, demanding that the government intervene to prevent the sale. The protesters, who chanted slogans such as "Hands off Vamed!" and "Healthcare is not for sale!" marched from the ÖGK headquarters to the Vamed rehabilitation center.
In a statement, ÖGK president Andreas Huss said, "The sale of Vamed would be a major blow to healthcare in Austria. Vamed provides high-quality rehabilitation services that are essential for many Austrians. We cannot allow the government to sell off our healthcare system to private interests." Vamed CEO Ernst Wastler added, "Our staff is deeply concerned about the future of the rehabilitation center. We are committed to providing high-quality care to our patients, and we believe that the sale of the center would jeopardize that care."
The government has not yet commented on the protest. However, the sale of Vamed is likely to be a contentious issue in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
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