Surgeon Rafal Gorewicz (L) waits to begin operating on a patient at the Praski hospital in Warsaw, January 12. Most Polish hospitals, however, conduct only life-saving operations because of a protest by anesthetists who refuse to work unless they get more money under Poland's health care reform which started in January. But the reform has been lost amidst the clamour of patients confused by new rules, press criticism of bureaucratic bungling and anger over the closure of operating theatres by an anesthetists strike.

PK/CLH/