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STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Sweden’s center-left government will increase investment in caring for the elderly through about $ 500 million in its 2021 budget after widespread fear over the number of retirement home deaths from the pandemic. of the coronavirus.
The government said it would increase spending through more than one hundred billion Swedish kronor ($11.45 billion) in the budget to be published on 21 September as it seeks to restart the economy and fill gaps in the pandemic-prone social welfare system.
“Our purpose will have to be to build the most productive care formula for the elderly in the world, and this spring and coronavirus have shown that we will have to boost this work,” Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told the press on Monday.
The death toll in Sweden from the coronavirus pandemic was much higher than that of its northern neighbors, less than in countries such as Britain and Spain.Most of these deaths involve the elderly, adding many citizens of nursing homes.
Approximately 5,800 Swedes have died compared to about 340 in Finland, which has about a portion of its largest neighbor’s population, and the minority government in Lofven has been widely criticized for failing vulnerable citizens.
Lofven said the budget, negotiated with two small centre-right opposition parties, would prioritize welfare, the fight against climate change, and the construction of the corrupt justice formula amid violent crime considerations.
“The budget has a transparent direction: it will allow everyone in our country to make a contribution and get Sweden out of this crisis,” Lofven said.
In addition to the 9.7 billion kronor for elderly care, the government will earn another 10 billion kronor ($1.14 billion) in central government grants, with another five billion kronor by 2022.
(Report through Simon Johnson and Johan Ahlander; Edited through Catherine Evans)