Polish health minister resigns amid prescription scandal

Aug 9, 2023 - 10:49

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki (C-L) welcomes Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (C-R) at the start of their meeting in Warsaw, Poland, on July 5, 2023. (Photo by Wojtek Radwanski / AFP)

WARSAW, Aug. 8 (Xinhua)

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Tuesday that he has accepted the resignation of Health Minister Adam Niedzielski who provoked outrage by disclosing sensitive information about a doctor.

On Thursday, Poland's private broadcaster screened footage about patients in the middle-eastern city of Poznan being unable to receive painkillers due to new prescription regulations.

A doctor commenting on the situation said he was unable to prescribe the necessary medication.

Niedzielski later published the doctor's personal data on social media, along with claims that he had prescribed the restricted medication in his own name.

The doctor then issued a legal notice on Monday demanding an apology and a payment of 100,000 zloty (24,600 U.S. dollars) by Niedzielski, reported local media.