Polish health minister resigns

Polish Health Minister Lukasz Szumowski tendered his resignation on Tuesday, saying he had been talking about his resignation for months with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, reported Xinhua, quoting Polish media.

"Today I resign from the post of health minister... I will not disappear, I will not go away, I will remain an MP, I will remain in the public sphere, I will be serving public functions. Of course, I'm returning to my profession," Szumowski said at a press briefing.

Szumowski, a professor of medical sciences, was appointed health minister in January 2018.

"We managed to prevent the situation of tens of thousands dying from coronavirus in Poland. Of course, the number of cases is rising, but on the other hand, we also have an economy that is functioning so there will be more funds for further treatment of other diseases," he said, cited by English channel Poland In run by TVP, the country's largest television network.

Szumowski said he had decided to resign already in February, but then the COVID-19 epidemic struck, which kept him at his post for another six months.

"I assess my cooperation with Lukasz Szumowski admirably: thank you for your service for the country in this difficult time," Morawiecki wrote on Twitter.

Morawiecki said later on Tuesday that he will present a candidate for the new health minister by the end of this week.