"There is a plan for the overall modernisation of the national health system, so that the services can meet the modern needs at a regional and nationwide level," Alternate Health Minister Mina Gaga said on Wednesday in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA).

The plan, she added, extends into the coming years and as she explained it meets the real needs of each region and records the existing services. She underlined that the health system is unified, public and private, and added: "We are strengthening the public health system, the national health system in every way, but at the same time, we are open to partnerships that will give the maximum benefit to the care of citizens without additional financial burden."

She noted that in the difficult conditions of the pandemic, the ICU beds were more than doubled, a significant part of the technological equipment was renewed, new departments were operational and the healthcare staff were increased by more than 15,000 personnel.