From the spotlight to crisis management: Zsolt Hegedűs and the turning point facing Hungarian healthcare

After the night of the Hungarian elections, the relaxed dance of Zsolt Hegedűs, the Tisza Party’s healthcare expert, spread across international social media and the press. For many, the scene reflected the mood of a new political era. Since then, it has become official: he will serve as health minister in the new government now taking shape — placing him in charge of one of the country’s most serious crisis areas.

An overloaded and increasingly divided system

Hungarian healthcare is formally a universally accessible, state-funded system, but in reality it has been struggling with increasingly serious problems for years. Due to chronic underfunding, many hospitals operate with outdated infrastructure and have accumulated significant debts. Healthcare spending is low by European comparison, limiting the scope for development.

Perhaps even more serious is the human-resources crisis. There is a persistent shortage of doctors and, in particular, nurses, which at times leads to the closure of departments or the suspension of services. The problem is especially acute in rural areas, where access to care is becoming increasingly unequal.

For patients, all this appears in the form of long waiting lists and uncertainty. Some procedures require months of waiting, prompting many people — if they can afford it — to turn to private healthcare. As a result, a dual system has gradually emerged: a faster, better-equipped private sector alongside an overburdened public system. This is not only a question of efficiency, but also one of social justice.

Structural weaknesses and loss of trust

The difficulties are not caused solely by financial or staffing problems. Hungarian healthcare remains heavily hospital-centred, while primary care is weak and patient pathways are often poorly organised. The lack of coordination between different levels of care places unnecessary pressure on hospitals and reduces the efficiency of the system.

This means that even significant additional funding would not solve the problems on its own: comprehensive structural reforms are needed. At the same time, both patients and healthcare workers have lost confidence in the system’s ability to function effectively, making change even more difficult.

The first step: reforming access to medicines

It is in this situation that Zsolt Hegedűs takes over the ministry. Although his detailed programme is still taking shape, one important direction is already emerging: reforming the system of individual medicine-access requests.

At present, many modern, innovative treatments can only be accessed through individual compassionate-use or exceptional-approval procedures. This process is often slow, bureaucratic and unpredictable, creating uncertainty for both patients and doctors. The planned reform aims to speed up decision-making, make it more transparent, and create a more uniform system.

Although this may seem like a technical issue, it could be a crucial step in rebuilding trust: for patients, it may represent one of the most tangible changes.

The real challenge, however, goes far beyond this. Addressing staff shortages, reducing waiting lists, strengthening primary care, and rethinking the relationship between the public and private sectors are all tasks that require long-term political commitment and significant resources.

The contrast is striking: a politician first introduced to the wider world in a moment of liberated celebration is now taking charge of one of the most difficult areas of government. Whether Zsolt Hegedűs will be able to achieve real change may determine not only his own political trajectory, but also the future of Hungarian healthcare.

Photo: Facebook/ Hegedűs Zsolt