Jena (dpa/th) - The Thuringian Cancer Society has accused the state government of refusing to fund counseling centers. Since 2021, a federal law has stipulated that 80 percent of the standard funding for this should be covered by the health insurance companies and 15 percent by the federal states. Thuringia has not yet implemented this, the cancer society criticized on Monday. According to the Ministry of Health, state funding is not possible for "budgetary reasons".
The budget and economic plan submitted by the Thuringian Cancer Society does not allow any additional funding from state funds, since according to the plan all expenses are secured even without state funding, the ministry said. However, four providers of psycho-oncological advice centers in Thuringia would be funded with state funds. These are the parent initiative for children with cancer in Jena, the SRH clinics in Gera and Suhl and the Jena University Hospital. For the coming year, it should be looked at how all Thuringian supporters of cancer counseling centers could receive state funding, it said.
Of the 17 employees who advise cancer patients at six locations in the Free State, the lack of state funding affects five full-time positions. For the past year and this year, the state paid out a good 80,000 euros, as the managing director of the non-profit organization financed by donations, Astrid Hessmer, said. "We have to calculate sharply in order to be able to maintain the consultation on this scale."
In addition to the office in Jena and the branch office founded last year in Mühlhausen, there are also psychological and social counseling services in four other locations in Thuringia. The team takes care of psychological stabilization, supports children of parents with cancer, helps refugees from Ukraine and advises on all social issues related to cancer. According to the information, 40 Thuringians are diagnosed with cancer every day.
