Health Minister Jan Blatný was dismissed from his post on Wednesday, in what is the third change-of-guard in the post since the start of the pandemic a year ago. In recent weeks the health minister had come under fire from the prime minister and president for refusing to allow the use of the unregistered Sputnik vaccine and imposing strict conditions for the use of experimental drugs to treat COVID-19 patients.
Health Minister Jan Blatný had remained tight lipped for weeks in the face of a barrage of criticism from the prime minister and repeated calls for him to be dismissed from the President Milos Zeman. Announcing his dismissal to the media on Wednesday the respected specialist in paediatric haematology said his conscience was clear.