Switzerland’s emergency services are at the point of collapse, according to Vincent Ribordy of the Swiss Society of Emergency and Rescue Medicine, reported RTS. The current workload is at an unprecedented level, said Ribordy. According to the newspaper SonntagsZeitung, with nearly 14,800 unfilled jobs, no sector has as many unfilled vacancies in Switzerland as healthcare. […]
No Covid tests for travellers from China entering Switzerland
On 11 January 2023, Switzerland’s government announced that the current epidemiological situation does not warrant compulsory testing for travellers from China. The Swiss Federal Council discussed the latest EU recommendations on the measures to be taken for persons entering the Union by air when it met on 11 January 2023 and decided that travellers from […]
1 in 4 changed health insurer this year
Sharply rising health insurance premiums appear to be a key driver behind 27% of people changing insurance provider in 2022, according to a survey by Comparis. Average premiums for 2023 are 6.6% higher than those for 2022. This sharp rise in premiums was cited as a key factor for changing insurer by 61% of the […]
Sharp rise in mental health problems among girls and young women in Switzerland
Data published by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO) this week show a sharp rise in the number of young people being admitted to hospital for mental and behavioural disorders in 2020 and 2021. Between 2020 and 2021, hospital admissions for mental and behavioural disorders rose by 26% among girls and young women aged 10 to […]
Covid: Swiss government extends free vaccinations to end of 2023
On 16 December 2022, Switzerland’s federal government extended the provision of free Covid-19 vaccinations until the end of 2023. The government said that vaccines are a key element in combating the Covid-19 pandemic and offer good protection against serious illness and hospitalisation. Therefore, Covid-19 vaccinations will be reimbursed by the federal government if they are […]
Switzerland set to introduce stiffer penalties for noisy drivers
In 2019, noise was estimated to cost Switzerland CHF 2.8 billion, most of which (67%) was attributed to health. Around 80% of this was related to road noise. The government would like to reduce the problem and the Federal Council requested a commission look into it this week, reported RTS. The number of complaints related […]
Swiss hospitals postponing non-urgent operations
The ever increasing cost of Swiss healthcare does not translate into prompt service. Despite spending more Switzerland is suffering from a shortage of healthcare workers. And this is leading to the postponement of certain operations in some cantons, reported RTS. In French-speaking Switzerland, the hospital system is under strain. In the cantons of Fribourg, Bern, […]
Vitamin D boost – put your mushrooms in the sun
The level of vitamin D in most mushrooms bought from a supermarket is typically low. However, putting them in the sun can raise the level 10-fold. Vitamin D stimulates the absorption of calcium and is important for muscle function. A lack of it is associated with a number of diseases. Evidence suggests getting enough vitamin […]
Confidential drug deals push up cost of Swiss healthcare, claims association
Around CHF 8 billion is spent annually on medicines prescribed for specific diseases in Switzerland. 20 drugs account for about a fifth of this cost, many of them sold at prices negotiated in secret. These confidential drug price negotiations are one of the reasons the cost of Swiss healthcare is rising so fast, claims Curafutura, […]
11 percent of Switzerland’s population exposed to water contaminated with Chlorothalonil
Levels of the chemical Chlorothalonil exceeding 0.1 micrograms per litre have been detected in the water used by around 700,000 people in Switzerland, reported RTS. Chlorothalonil is a chemical found in fungicides used to protect crops, preserve wood and to give paints antifungal properties. Typically among the top three most used agrochemicals it is used […]
