Lol, that's exactly life in Eastern Europe/ex-USSR. There's socialized medicine, but if you want better service, you have to bring a gift (whisky, chocolate, money, the latter is always desirable). Not just hand cash over, that's disrespectful nowadays.

My grandmother was a pediatrician in Kiev in Soviet times. Her salary was about on par with anyone else, but she got tons of gifts.

On the situation in hospitals specifically:

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-red-envelope-capita...