Radio România Internațional

Tag: healthcare

  • Medicine and healthcare

    Medicine and healthcare

    Under the pricing policies in force, the manufacturer of an innovative drug whose patent is set to expire five years after the market introduction of that drug has to operate a 35% price slash, to the value of the most expensive similar drug available on the market. This has created a situation where some drugs have become so cheap, that some pharmaceutical companies have chosen to stop selling them in Romania.



    These drugs have gradually disappeared from hospitals and drugstores altogether, to patients despair. Recent data show that, over the last year, 1,057 drugs were withdrawn from Romania by distributors and manufacturers. Alternatively, drugs sold in Romania at low prices are being exported to Germany and France for profit. To cap these phenomena, the Health Ministry in Bucharest has come up with a set of new regulations for the drug market, of which the most important is phasing out price reductions.



    Under the upcoming Government Ordinance, which will be submitted for public debate, the price for unpatented drugs will be slashed by 10% the first year, by 10% the next year and by an additional 15% the third year. “The cut back on prices will be operated gradually so as to avoid a new drug crisis, where patients should run out of drugs, despite being entitled to them, Health Minister Vlad Voiculescu explained.



    Drug stores and distributors will have to submit daily reports of their subsidized drug supplies, while patients can check the shelf availability of a drug online. The Ministry has to deal with any irregularities within 7 days of their notification. In another development, electronic medical records will become compulsory in Romania soon, as authorities are working on a draft project, the head of the National Health Insurance Fund Radu Tibichi has announced.



    The electronic medical record system is up and running right now, consisting of 6 million medical records so far. Its only real issue is that it is not compulsory. Lawmakers say the electronic medical record, EMR, is a tool that can increase patient security. Medical staff can access patients records more quickly and take more informed decisions concerning their medical condition, irrespective of the patients state of consciousness. In theory, the application can be accessed by any citizen holding an activated health card, provided the health card software is operational. We recall that over the last three days the health card software has been reporting technical issues.(Translated by Vlad Palcu)

  • The state and the medical system

    The state and the medical system

    The Romanian state does not have the capacity to
    support investments in the healthcare sector and ensure the necessary
    medication for all patients in the system and has no effective strategy to
    attract medical staff, warned the Romanian Healthcare Minister Vlad Voiculescu
    during a specialised conference. He also tried, among other things, to convince
    doctors to work in rural areas, where some six million people have no access to
    medical services. Here is Minister Vlad Voiculescu:




    Salaries in the system are higher as of August 1st
    and doctors on emergency duty are also paid better. We are talking about pay
    rises ranging from 60 to 90%. Also, in the coming months we plan to implement
    measures aimed at convincing doctors to work in rural areas, where the population
    has no access to medical care. There are some 6 million people in Romania with
    no access to medical services.




    The minister also stressed the fact that building new
    hospitals is a must, given that the existing ones date from the 1970s and even
    earlier. Voiculescu hopes that tenders will be launched next year for the
    building of the first regional hospitals in Romania, using European money, in
    Iasi, Cluj and Craiova, but also for the building of new wings for two
    hospitals in Bucharest. Also, Voiculescu has announced that a new mechanism
    will be used for the selection of hospital managers, and the assessment will
    take into consideration hygiene in the medical care units and also patients’
    feedback regarding the conditions in the hospital, how they were treated and
    whether they were asked for bribe money in exchange for medical care. He has
    also stated that in the coming days a minister’s order will be issued,
    regulating pricing and other aspects aimed at ensuring patients’ access to
    drugs. More specifically, the order will introduce a drug shortage reporting
    mechanism, a stock management system and also a set of coercive measures.




    At the conference attended by the Health Minister,
    the president of the National Health Insurance Company, Radu Tibichi, announced
    that healthcare services are to be fully mapped by the end of the year, for the
    authorities to have a clear picture, for every region, of everything that
    happens in the system with regard to the need for medical services, and human
    and financial resources. Also, Tibichi talked about the positive effects of the
    health card, which has already saved 100 million euros in its first year of
    compulsory use. Compared to the previous period, the number of subsidised
    medical prescriptions has dropped by more than 4 million, and the number of
    long-term hospitalised patients has gone down by some 90,000. Computerisation
    increases efficiency and control, and it’s an important foundation for what we
    are about to build, Tibichi also said. According to him, new apps will be
    introduced for electronic referrals, medical leaves of absence and drug
    registries.

  • Measures for the healthcare system

    Measures for the healthcare system

    The Romanian government has announced that, in 2016, it will allot some 100 million lei (some 22 million Euros) to increase payment of overtime for doctors on call, in keeping with the base salaries, which were increased as of August 1. Health minister Vlad Voiculescu has said this decision is one of the most important steps taken forward, in recent times, to the benefit of doctors, who choose to leave the country in search of a better paid job abroad, because of small salaries and under-funding.



    According to the Health Ministry, the pay rise takes effect as of October 1, and the funds will be allocated thanks to a more efficient management of the existing resources in the healthcare system. Night shifts on call will be made based on a part time individual employment contract. The advantage to doctors is that these shifts will count as both work seniority and seniority in the field. This type of employment contract will allow doctors to benefit from paid annual leave in keeping with the number of hours spent on night calls in hospitals, other than those employing them on a full time basis.



    The ministry has also announced that doctors on the so-called “mandatory night shifts” will benefit from a 25% bonus, which hasn’t been the case so far. Also, under the law, doctors who got a PhD in medical sciences since 2010, will benefit from a 15% bonus, which hadn’t been allotted before August 1. Work and rest hours will be reconfigured, in terms of flexibility, showing respect for the effort made by doctors and care for the patients’ safety. The ministry is also analysing ways to pay first and second year resident doctors for the night shifts they make.



    The new decisions come just days after, on August 1, the salaries of the employees in the public healthcare system were increased. The hikes range from 300 lei (some 70 Euros) to 900 lei (some 200 Euros). 163 thousand people will benefit from them. Also on August 1, the government introduced a bonus system in healthcare, under which beginners will benefit from a 2% bonus. The quantum of salaries differ, just like in the education system, depending on specialization and seniority and is completed by various bonuses.



    The basic salary of doctors working in healthcare units will range between 2,400 lei (525 Euros) and 3,000 lei (650 Euros), depending on work seniority, whereas the salary of nurses will vary between 1,900 lei (430 Euros) and 2,400 lei (540 Euros). The salary of a consultant paramedic and of an emergency doctor will amount to 5,400 lei (some 1,200 Euros).



    In another move, state secretary with the Interior Ministry, Raed Arafat, says at least four new hospitals should have been built in Romania over the past 25 years, to replace the old infrastructure, and it’s not normal that that hasn’t happened. Arafat has also added that Romania should have a clear-cut long term plan to restore hospital infrastructure.

  • Comprehensive measures for the Romanian health system

    Comprehensive measures for the Romanian health system

    Economist Vlad Voiculescu, who has an extensive management expertise in the financial banking sector and former head of cabinet with the Finance Ministry is, as of last week, Romania’s new Health Minister.



    Voiculescu has also been involved in several social projects in the health sector, such as the cancer-treatment drugs’ network which he initiated in 2008, that saw over 400 volunteers from throughout Europe transporting to Romania, free of charge, essential drugs in the treatment of cancer, drugs that were no longer available in hospitals and pharmacies across Romania.



    “It is very important to reinstate people’s trust in the Romanian health system,” the new minister has said. He made this statement in his first news conference right after being sworn in, against the background of the scandal of diluted biocides used in Romanian hospitals.



    Resuming investment in the construction of new hospitals and the issue of hospital-acquired infections are among Minister Voiculescu’s priorities, just like finding a solution to the shortage of essential medicines. According to the World Health Organisation essential medicines are those that satisfy the priority healthcare needs of the population and are available within the context of functioning health systems at all times, in adequate amounts, in the appropriate dosage forms, with assured quality and adequate information, and at a price the individual and the community can afford.



    Vlad Voiculescu: “Surely, I’m not the first minister facing a shortage of cheap medicines in hospitals but I definitely want to be the last and the solution does not lie with an individual but with the whole system, that should be based on clear rules and procedures and on transparency.”



    Vlad Voiculescu has also warned that the outdated infrastructure is another problem of the health system, and has given as example hospitals built in the 1970s and even before that date, which endanger the lives of patients and medical staff alike. That is why 150 million euros will be invested in the construction of three new regional hospitals.



    Vlad Voiculescu: “Under the Regional Operational programme, 150 million euros has been made available for three new regional hospitals, to be built in Cluj, Iasi and Craiova. We are currently working on the design brief for these hospitals and hope to make significant progress in the following months.”



    Another programme that is to be unblocked is the one with the World Bank, signed in 2014. Under this programme, 180 million euros will be made available for investment.



    On the other hand, Minister Vlad Voiculescu has announced that the Health and Safety Department will carry out checks throughout the country testing biocides used in public hospitals. The results are to be made public right after being collected.



    The Romanian health system is seeing one of its most serious crises after it was found that the disinfectants used in public hospitals had been diluted. Hexi Pharma, the company supplying these biocides, has been prosecuted for actions running counter to disease prevention.






  • May 24, 2016

    May 24, 2016

    PROSECUTION- The Speaker of the Romanian Senate, Calin Popescu Tariceanu is prosecuted for false testimony and encouraging the offender, the National Anti-Corruption Directorate has announced. His name appears in a file in which prosecutors are investigating illegal return of property. Tariceanu is the second most important official in the state, given the position he is currently holding, that of Senate Speaker. He is also co-president of the recently set up centre-rightist Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, (ALDE). Between 2004 and 2008, when he was the leader of the National Liberal Party, he held the position of prime minister. We recall that scores of people have been sent to court by the anti-corruption prosecutors in the case of illegal return of land and forests on the outskirts of Bucharest.



    VISIT – Romanian prime minister Dacian Ciolos is today having talks in Washington with US vice-president, Joe Biden. Dacian Ciolos is also due to meet other US officials, to whom he will present Romanias business development potential. The second day of the official visit paid by the Romanian prime minister to the US will end in Washington, after a meeting with members of the Romanian community living in the area.



    EUROPEAN FUNDS – Romania reports delays in the process of accessing European funds in healthcare, which is a matter of concern for the European Commission, the EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Corina Cretu, has warned in Bucharest. In the field of healthcare, Romanias degree of absorption since the start of the year is ZERO, the European Commissioner underlined. Corina Cretu has also drawn attention that Bucharest might lose the 326 million Euros available to it to develop infrastructure and medical assistance services if the needs in the domain of healthcare are not identified by the end of the year.



    GENERAL AFFAIRS COUNCIL –State Secretary for European Affairs with the Romanian Foreign Ministry, Cristian Badescu, is today attending a meeting of the General Affairs Council, held in Brussels. According to a communiqué issued by the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the participants will hold talks on the integration of migrants and the fundamental values of the EU, at a time when the second dialogue on the rule of law is being held across the Union. They will also make preparations for the European Council meeting scheduled for June 28 and 29, laying emphasis on the relationship between the UK and the EU, the communiqué also reads.



    INVESTIGATION – Experts continue the investigation into the circumstances of the car crash in which Dan Condrea, the owner of the Hexi Pharma biocide producer, died on Sunday evening. Condrea has died at a time when his company is at the centre of the biggest scandal in the Romanian healthcare system, after it was disclosed that his company supplied diluted disinfectants. Prosecutors from the General Prosecutors Office have demanded a DNA identification analysis as well as technical analysis of the car in order to cast light on the circumstances in which the accident occurred. The Prosecutor General, Augustin Lazar, has announced that the value of the prejudice in the Hexi Pharma case will be established today.



    HUMANITARIAN SUMMIT – Romania will show solidarity with other countries in the context in which, according to the UN, the world is facing the most severe humanitarian crisis since World War II, says labour minister, Dragos Paslaru, who leads the Romanian delegation at the World Humanitarian Summit organised by the United Nations in Istanbul. Dragos Paslaru has made clear that the Romanian delegations mandate is to support all commitments proposed by the UN, relating to such issues as refugees, for instance, and even to come up with private initiatives, in such domains as emergency assistance and education, where Romania has already had a significant contribution. The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has pleaded in Istanbul, for the governments, alongside the business circle and humanitarian organisations the world over to commit themselves to reducing by half the number of refugees by 2030. Official data show that, at global level, some 60 million people have been forcibly displaced and 125 million are in dire need of assistance.



    FOOTBALL– Romanias national football team will meet Congo in a friendly match in Como, Italy, on Wednesday. The match, just like that against Ukraine, scheduled for Sunday in Turin, is part of a campaign held in preparation for the European Championship due in France, this summer. Romania and the host country will play the opening match, in Paris, on June 10. Also playing in Group A are Switzerland and Albania.


    (Translated by Diana Vijeu)

  • May 19, 2016 UPDATE

    May 19, 2016 UPDATE

    PRESIDENCY – The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis told a press conference on Thursday that the Supreme Defence Council, due to convene on May 27, would discuss the public healthcare issue. The head of state explained this decision was made following the most recent public scandal, involving diluted disinfectants, which revealed the extent of the damages caused by the carelessness and corruption in the public healthcare system. Iohannis also mentioned that healthcare was included in the National Defence Strategy. In another development, the President announced on Thursday having signed into law a legislative package on public procurement, which was recently endorsed by Parliament. Iohannis also said he would send back to the Government the Ph.D. bill, because he intended to put an end to the scourge of plagiarism, and the text endorsed by Parliament fails to define a proper legislative framework to encourage excellence.



    DIPLOMACY – While on an official visit to London, the Romanian Defence Minister, Mihnea Motoc, had a meeting on Thursday with the British Secretary for Defence, Michael Fallon. The talks focused on strengthening the bilateral military cooperation as well as cooperation in preparing the agenda for the forthcoming NATO Summit due in July. The two officials emphasised the critical role of the strategic partnership between the UK and Romania in the current security context. The Romanian Defence Minister also highlighted the strategic important of the Black Sea, as an integral part of Euro-Atlantic security, and the need for a stronger NATO presence along the eastern flank of the Alliance.



    CULTURE – The Government of Romania and the Culture Ministry Thursday officially launched the support campaign for the national subscription for purchasing Constantin Brancusis famous work “Wisdom of the Earth. The campaign will run until September 30. The work, currently in a private collection, costs 11 million euros, of which the Government announced it would pay 5 million euros, with the balance to be raised through this public campaign. The “Wisdom of the Earth, dating back to 1907, alongside works like “The Kiss and “Prayer, is representative of Brancusis most creative years.



    PLANE CRASH – A terror attack is a more likely explanation than technical failure in the case of the airliner that went missing on Thursday in the Mediterranean, says the Egyptian Civil Aviation Minister, Sherif Fatih. Previously the President of France had confirmed that the EgyptAir plane had crashed into the sea. The aircraft, which was flying from Paris to Cairo, carried 66 passengers and crew, mostly Egyptians and French people. A spokesperson for the Greek Army announced that pieces of debris were spotted in the search area around 370 km from the Greek island of Crete. Originally the presumed crash area was off the Karpathos Island, east of Crete. According to the Greek authorities, the aircraft lost contact with the radar little after leaving the Greek airspace and entering Egypts.



    TENNIS – Two more Romanians, Sorana Cîrstea (99 WTA) and Andreea Mitu (114 WTA) have reached the main draw of the Roland Garros tournament, the second Grand Slam tournament of the year, totalling 32 million dollars in prize money. Cîrstea defeated Jana Cepelova (Slovakia, 134 WTA) and Mitu outplayed Chinas Jia – Jing Lu (208 WTA). Marius Copil, 190th ranked in ATP rankings, will play Roberto Carballes Baena (115 ATP), while Adrian Ungur, 204th ranked in
    ATP standings, defeated Frances Tiafoe of the United States, 188 ATP. Simona Halep, Irina Begu, Monica Niculescu and Alexandra Dulgheru have already secured qualification to the main draw.

  • May 17th, 2016 UPDATE

    May 17th, 2016 UPDATE

    MOTION The lack of quorum on Tuesday prevented the Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest from voting on a simple motion suggestively entitled The Biggest Disaster in the Romanian Agriculture after December 1989. The signatories of the document, Social Democrats and the Liberal-Democratic Alliance in Romania (ALDE) have blamed Agriculture Minister Achim Irimescu for having blocked EU fund accession and investment in the irrigation network. They have also criticised Irimescu for mismanagement at the Agriculture Ministry and for hindering direct payment to farmers. During debates on the motion on Monday, Irimescu denied allegations saying that his work is being appreciated by farmers associations.




    HEALTHCARE Romanias technocratic Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos on Tuesday asked financial expert Vlad Voiculescu to consider taking over the Health Ministry portfolio vacant since the last weeks resignation of former minister Patriciu Achimas-Cadariu. A civic activist and currently a chief of cabinet at the Finance Ministry, Anca Dragu Voiculescu in 2008 initiated the so-called Cytostatics Network, a group of over 400 volunteers from Europe who used to bring free cytostatic drugs to Romanian patients. The head of the government also serves as interim health minister, coordinating emergency measures in a recent case involving the use of diluted disinfectant in hospitals around Romania. Hexi Pharma, the company producing these disinfectants, which is currently probed in for actions running counter to disease prevention and counterfeiting, withdrew its insolvency application on Tuesday. Prosecutors had earlier imposed on the company a ban on commencing insolvency procedures and selling assets.




    HUMANITARIAN AID UN planes might carry out air drops over Syrian cities besieged by government troops, unless the UN convoys get access to these cities, the US Secretary of State John Kerry announced on Tuesday after talks in Vienna that brought together members of the International Syria Support Group, made up of the USA, Russia, Iran and the Arab countries. The meeting came after the Syrian opposition in April suspended its participation in peace talks in Geneva due to rising violence in the territory. Also on Monday in Vienna, foreign ministers from the EU the USA and from Libyas neighboring countries decided to help the national unity government in Tripoli with weapons supplies. The decision comes after the Islamic State has extended its influence over this country and is aimed at preventing another refugee surge to Europe.




    VILLAGE MUSEUM Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos on Tuesday was attending the inauguration of a new wing at the Village Museum in Bucharest, which turns 80 this year. One of Bucharests landmarks, the Village Museum was inaugurated on May 10th 1936, while on May 17th that same year it was opened to the public. It was sociologist Dimitrie Gusti who had the idea, in the interwar period, to bring to Bucharest tens of traditional households from throughout Romania. The museum currently hosts 370 monuments and 60 thousand heritage objects.



  • Ciolos Cabinet Faces New Crisis

    Ciolos Cabinet Faces New Crisis

    In the last five years the Romanian Intelligence Service submitted some 100 notifications regarding irregularities in the Romanian public healthcare system, including the issue of in-hospital infections. Health Minister Patriciu Achimas Cadariu is the first to fall victim in the huge public scandal related to the use of diluted disinfectants in hospitals. A journalists investigation had previously revealed that disinfectants had a concentration up to ten times lower than what is admitted as standard.



    Six months after taking office, Achimas-Cadariu chose to resign as Health Minister, unhappy with how the Government chose to manage the crisis. On Saturday, Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos called on the Health Ministry to resume its investigation, and to double-check the concentration and effectiveness of all the products used for disinfection in every hospital in the country.



    Non-compliant samples had already been identified in 50 hospitals, and have now been resubmitted for testing. The Prosecutor Generals Office has launched a separate investigation, searching the headquarters of HexiPharma, the company distributing the disinfectants. Prime Minister Ciolos wants to change the legislation and take measures that should expose the many serious issues facing the health care system.



    Dacian Ciolos: “I want to use the next 6 months to also take other structural measures which, even though they cannot thoroughly reform the healthcare system, will at least reveal the problems of the system. And I want to assure everybody that I will not hide anything from anybody, I will not lose sight of anything. I intend to set up a team of professionals who know the system well, some from within the system and others outside it, so as to have a better and clearer understanding of what can be done in 6 months. And Im determined to do that.



    On the one hand, on short term, the authorities need to make Romanians regain confidence in the healthcare system. On the other hand, they need to take measures to upgrade the obsolete hospital infrastructure by building new hospitals with the help of European funds. Management irregularities should also be addressed, which requires the reconsidering of the way management contracts in public hospitals are observed as well as the regulations subordinating hospital units to central and local authorities.



    According to the PM Dacian Cioloş, in the last 7 years Romania has had at least 10 successive health ministers and none of them was able to reform the system so as to prevent such large-scale scandals.

  • 9 May, 2016

    9 May, 2016

    RESIGNATION – Romania’s Healthcare minister Patriciu Achimas-Cadariu has today submitted his resignation amid the scandal triggered by the diluted disinfectants used in hospitals. The health Ministry is continuing its investigation in this case and has started taking samples from all hospitals in Romania, as the head of the Romanian government Dacian Ciolos has asked. The substances will be tested in terms of concentration and efficacy. Some of the samples, which already proved unsatisfying and have been discovered in 50 hospitals, have been sent to a national institute for further analysis. The Prosecutor’s General Office has launched a parallel investigation. Searches have been carried out in hospitals and the offices of the company providing these disinfectants, which have been proved to have a concentration ten times lower than required. Against the background of this scandal, Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos is holding talks with healthcare experts on the measures needed to improve the situation in the system.



    CEREMONIES — Military and religious ceremonies are today held in all military units in Romania and abroad marking the death of the two Romanian military killed on Saturday in Afghanistan. Defence Minister Mihnea Motoc has announced the two will be promoted post-mortem. The two were killed in a military training facility close to Kandahar, where they were training Afghan police officers. The attackers were wearing Afghan security forces uniforms, and the attack seems to be the work of Taliban terrorists. A third Romanian military wounded in the attack was transferred to a hospital in Germany, where he is now stable. Over 28 Romanian military have been killed in Afghanistan since 2002.



    Romanian handball champions CSM Bucharest won the most important inter-club competition, Champions League. The Romanian side made history on Sunday evening, grabbing a hard-won victory (29-26) against the Hungarian side Gyor in the Champions League final. It was an electrifying game with two periods of extra time and a penalty shootout to decide the winner. CSM Bucharest thus becomes the third Romanian club to win Champions League, after Stiinta Bacau in the 1960-1961 season and Rapid Bucharest in the 1963-1964 season.



    TENNIS — Romanian tennis player Simona Halep went up two places in the WTA ranking published today, reaching fifth place. Ahead of her are American player Serena Williams, German Angelique Kerber, Polish player Agnieszka Radwanska and Spanish player Garbine Muguruza. Romania has four more representatives in the top 100 rankings: Monica Niculescu, 34th seeded, Irina Begu, 35th, Alexandra Dulgheru, 98th, and Sorana Carstea, 99th. Simona Halep recently won the first trophy of the season in Madrid, and qualified directly for the tournament in Rome, going straight to the second round. Two more Romanians will be playing there, Irina Begu and Monica Niculescu.



    FOOTBALLER — The private paramedic service PULS are under suspension, following numerous irregularities uncovered by the investigation into the death of footballer Patrick Ekeng from Dinamo Bucharest. PULS was under contract with the Dinamo football club when they played the game in which the player suddenly collapsed on the pitch, even though he had no apparent health problems. The 26 year-old from Cameroon died on Friday night in intensive care. Prosecutors have opened an investigation for criminal negligence.



    9 MAY — The 9th of May has triple significance for Romanians. It celebrates the day of independence, proclaimed in 1877, the allied victory in WWII, and the unification of Western European countries. On May 9 1877, the Assembly of Deputies proclaimed the countrys state independence. On the same date in 1945, Germany capitulated to the Allies, ending the war in Europe. Also, on May 9th 1950, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman gave a historic speech, proposing a plan for economic cooperation between France and Germany, ending the historic rivalry between the two powers. The Schuman proclamation laid the basis for building a united Europe.

  • Family doctors in Romania stage protest

    Family doctors in Romania stage protest

    The Romanian healthcare system seems to be suffering
    just as much as the patients seeking its help. Severely under-financed for
    years and constantly neglected by the authorities, the healthcare system has
    major problems with negative consequences for the medical staff and patients
    alike.




    Unhappy with the present situation, family doctors
    have decided to express their dissatisfaction by refusing to issue subsidised
    prescriptions and referral letters for two days, on April 1st and 4th.
    Their main demand is for the terms for the signing of the addenda to the
    contract concluded with the county branches of the national health insurance
    bodies to be observed. They also say they no longer want to sign the contracts
    after the established date as have so far, because in some cases they had to
    pay for the recommended treatment from their own pockets. The family doctors’
    protest is a way of sending a warning signal over a situation that has become a
    pattern in recent years, as Rodica Tanasescu, the head of the National Society
    for Family Medicine, tells us:




    For ten years we have been put in the uncomfortable
    situation of having to illegally sign contracts retroactively. An addendum must
    be signed while the previous contract is still valid. Our protest is a signal
    that we want to start doing things in a legal, natural manner. Some of us are
    willing to go all the way with the protest, while others are afraid to go on
    after receiving certain phone calls.




    Rodica Tanasescu has pointed out that the family
    doctors’ protest is also a way of raising awareness to the fact that important
    legal changes are needed for the contract that is to be signed in less than
    three months. Protesters have also requested a doubling of the funds allotted
    to primary care.




    Health Minister Patriciu Achimas Cadariu hopes for a
    budget revision that should bring additional funds to the healthcare system:




    We have postponed the adoption of the contract’s new
    provisions, and when we have a reevaluation of the entire system we can only
    hope it will also bring along a budget revision. I call on all the people
    involved to act responsibly. The health insurance bodies have done their job
    and the system of signing the addenda has always worked.




    Two organisations representing family doctors have
    drawn up a document warning that family medicine is not a priority for the
    government when creating the budget and the country’s economic policies and
    that without the work of the family doctors the medical system will collapse.
    The document, which has been sent to all important health-related institutions
    in the country and the president, emphasises that the total amount earmarked
    for the health system this year accounts for 4.2% of the GDP, but that the
    state’s contribution to the GDP is only 0.86%. The rest is covered by people’s
    own contributions to the health insurance system. In other words, the document
    says, while the state supposedly provides free healthcare services to its
    citizens, it relies almost exclusively on the contribution of citizens and
    employers who pay health insurance contributions.

  • The Week, 21-27 March

    The Week, 21-27 March

    Romania, in solidarity with Belgium after Brussels terrorist attacks


    Romania has joined the international community in firmly condemning the bloody attacks carried out in Brussels on Tuesday, which killed scores and injured hundreds of people, of 40 nationalities, among which 4 Romanians. In memory of those who fell victim to the attacks claimed by the Islamic State terrorist organisation, Romania observed a day of national mourning on Thursday. In token of solidarity, the government building in Bucharest was lit in the colours of the Belgian flag, and a book of condolences was opened at the Belgian Embassy in Bucharest. Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos, politicians, foreign ambassadors accredited to Bucharest and ordinary people, alike, left messages in the book. The Romanian President said the scourge of terrorism can be combated only by solidarity and unity, and the Prime Minister underlined that in such situations the solution is to boost cooperation between the EU member states.



    The Romanian President paid an official visit to Turkey


    During his official visit to Ankara on Wednesday and Thursday, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, firmly condemned terrorism and stood for solidarity. Iohannis said countries should have a common and clear response, in the effort to combat the attacks. He underlined that Turkey, as a country which is hosting a large number of refugees on its territory, plays a key role in solving the migrant crisis, in terms of humanitarian assistance, the control of the migration inflow and the fight against networks of human traffickers. Klaus Iohannis:



    Klaus Iohannis: “This visit comes against the backdrop of a complicated geopolitical and regional context. There are many security risks and challenges that we should face and find solutions to. I am confident that together, based on a strong partnership between Romania and Turkey, we can better manage these risks. Our citizens want security and prosperity.



    Ways to combat terrorism and the migration crisis were also approached during President Iohannis talks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. The two sides agreed to boosting bilateral cooperation in several fields. Iohannis and Davutoglu also approached the need to boost bilateral cooperation based on the Strategic Partnership between the two countries, to enhance cooperation in the Black Sea area and within NATO. The two officials laid special emphasis on economic cooperation, given that Turkey is Romanias largest non-EU trade partner and the fifth largest world partner. The two countries also intend to increase the volume of trade, up to 10 billion dollars. Klaus Iohannis also met in Istanbul with representatives of the Romanian community in Turkey.



    The Prime Ministers Control Unit presents the conclusions of the report on the Colectiv nightclub tragedy in Bucharest


    Nearly five months after the devastating fire at the Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest, which killed 64 people and wounded another 200, the Prime Ministers Control Unit made public a report on the events that night. The document reveals that response operations on the night of the fire were largely uncoordinated and improvised. The situation was caused due to the lack of training in emergency situations, legislative inconsistencies and the scarcity of materials, the report also states. According to the same document, the code red intervention plan was not started immediately, being delayed by bureaucratic procedures, although at least one of the calls received clearly signalled the seriousness of the situation, in which case the legislation in force allows for the use of faster intervention mechanisms. The report also notes that there were institutions that did their job properly and others that did not, such as the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations.




    Work-to-rule strike action in the Romanian health sector

    Some 12,000 medical staff in Romania this week called a work-to-rule strike. Their demands concern a consistent salary system, the payment of bonuses and observing working and rest hours. Family physicians have also started a protest this week, unhappy with the low budget allocations and the faulty IT system. Here is the vice-president of the National Association of Family Medicine, Sandra Alexiu:


    Sandra Alexiu: The most important thing we demand is better funding for family medicine. This year we got even less funds than in previous years, way below the European average allocation to family physicians. Whereas the budget share is 9% at European level, we only get 5,8%, which makes family medicine a difficult job.


    Mondays strike action is the first in a series of protests trade unions in the health sector say will continue also in April.

  • March 22, 2016

    March 22, 2016

    EXPLOSIONS – Several explosions have struck Brussels today. Two blasts tore through the departures area of Zaventem airport while another one hit Maalbeek metro station, close to the EU institutions. The provisional death toll made public by Belgian authorities is 26. Over 130 people have been wounded, of whom some are in a serious condition. The government raised the anti-terror alert in the country to the highest level. The attacks come four days after Salah Abdeslam, the main fugitive in the Paris attacks last November that killed 130 people, was captured in Brussels. Several European states have increased security measures following the events in Brussels. In Bucharest, the Presidency, Government and Foreign Ministry have conveyed a message of condolences to the Belgian people and have condemned the attacks, calling for joint efforts to fight terrorism.




    VOTE – The Romanian Parliament is today voting on the new Board of the public television TVR. Previously, Parliament’s culture committees have interviewed candidates proposed by parliamentary groups, government, presidency and TVR employees. The new Board has to come up with solutions to rescue the public television that has been dealing with severe financial problems. One of these solutions might be to change the insolvency law so that TVR can be declared bankrupt and a new structure be set up.




    VISIT – The US President Barack Obama ends his historic visit to Cuba today with meetings with Cuban dissidents and a televised speech. On Monday, Obama and his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro said they planned to cooperate in fields of common interest. Obama also said that lifting the trade embargo would depend on actions Cuba takes on human rights.




    PRESIDENCY – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is paying a three-day official visit to Turkey as of today, to hold talks with his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with PM Ahmet Davutoglu and with representatives of the Romanian community in this country. The visit is aimed at strengthening bilateral ties based on the Strategic Partnership between Romania and Turkey, signed in 2011. Official talks will focus on bilateral, regional and security issues, such as economic cooperation, the dialogue between Turkey and the EU with an emphasis on migration and also the collaboration within NATO. Also approached will be the need to increase efforts to fight terrorism against the background of several terror attacks that have taken place in Turkey recently.




    CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES – The Speaker of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Laura Boldrini, is currently in Bucharest for talks with Romanian high officials. Boldrini’s visit takes place at the invitation of her Romanian counterpart, Valeriu Zgonea. The two officials will sign a declaration dubbed More European Integration: The Road to Travel” , calling for more European integration. The document was signed by the presidents of the Lower Chambers of the Parliament of Italy (Laura Boldrini), France (Claude Bartolone), Germany (Norbert Lammert) and Luxembourg (Mars di Bartolomeo). Laura Boldrini will also have a meeting with representatives of the Italian investors in Romania.




    STRIKE — Thousands of Romanian doctors continue to be in a work-to-rule strike, unsatisfied with the outcome of the negotiations with the Health Ministry. The strike started on Monday, at the initiative of the Romanian Federation of Physician Unions and the “Hipocrat” Union Federation in Romania, which claims to represent over 7,000 employees in the sector. Their demands concern a consistent salary system, the payment of bonuses, and the implementation of working hour standards. Family doctores have announced new protests on Thursday at the Health Ministry headquarters.



    (Translated by E. Enache)


  • February 23, 2016

    February 23, 2016

    PROTEST – Over 500 miners from the Lonea mining exploitation have blocked themselves in the underground in token of protest against the current situation at the Hunedoara Energy Complex, in the centre of the country. Some of them have gone on hunger strike and one of them needs medical care. Some of those blocked in the underground already have health problems, because of the limited amount of air in the gallery. The miners do not intend to suspend the protest and wait for energy minister Victor Grigorescu to come at the Lonea Mine. They fear they would lose their jobs, because the Hunedoara Energy Complex has entered default of payment and might go bankrupt. In another move, the line minister said yesterday that the countrys energy strategy, which will be finalised this autumn, should look like a business plan, and should not be considered a mere public policy project. According to Grigorescu, placing the coal sector on the right base again, trading the Hidroelectrica company on the stock exchange and keeping nuclear energy experts in the country will be some of the elements included in the strategy.



    DIASPORA– The Romanians living abroad are vectors of development and modernisation for the country, Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, had today told a conference in Bucharest, attended by representatives of the Romanian organisations in the Diaspora. The Romanian President has also said the Romanians presence abroad should be a matter of choice and not of necessity and promised, on short term, to initiate a partnership meant to render Romania a prosperous and strong state. In turn, Romanian Prime Minister, Dacian Ciolos, has made public the governments intention to take a series of measures to determine the Romanians living outside the borders of the country to get more involved in investment projects, encourage peoples return to rural areas, increase the scholarship fund, improve consular services and help them exert their own rights, such as the right to vote.



    ECONOMY– The value of the merger and acquisition market in Romania increased by 160% in 2015, exceeding 3 billion Euros, a research conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers Romania shows. Most transactions were made in the industrial production sector and on the real estate market, with the average value of a transaction standing at 26 million Euros, PricewaterhouseCoopers Romania also shows. The significant growth of the local market is partly due to a similar evolution at international level, as the total value of global mergers and acquisitions in 2015 broke the historic high set in 2007. PricewaterhouseCoopers, headquartered in New York, is the largest professional consultancy and auditing service provider in the world.



    HEALTHCARE- Cross-checks will be carried out in all hospitals in Romania between March 10th and 25th, healthcare minister Patriciu Achimas-Cadariu announced on Monday. The measure was taken after several babies from Arges County (in the south) were taken to the “Marie Curie Hospital in Bucharest, having been diagnosed with the hemolytic-uremic syndrome. The situation has brought to light a series of shortcomings in the healthcare system. Meanwhile, the situation of the seven hospitalised children has improved. Only one is still undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit. Two babies will be released from hospital this week. 3 children died this month of severe digestive problems. The epidemiological investigation coordinated by foreign experts, currently in Romania, continues.



    JUSTICE – The European Court of Human Rights has today ruled against Romania in the Romanian Revolution file. The state should pay 15,000 Euros to each of the 17 plaintiffs, who lost relatives during the anti-communist Revolution. The file was opened in 2014 against the Romanian state by relatives of the victims of the December 1989 Revolution. The lengthy investigation in the December 1989 Revolution carried out by military prosecutors is the main issue reproached by the plaintiffs.



    SYRIA– A ceasefire agreement will be enforced in Syria as of February 27, FP news agency quotes a joint Russian-American communiqué, released by the U.S. Department of State. The agreement excludes the Islamic State terrorist group and the Al-Nusra Front, the Al Qaedas branch in Syria. The government and the opposition in Syria stood for the ceasefire, but they put pre-conditions, which are difficult to meet. Russia and the US are co-chairs of the International Support Group for Syria, which is made up of 17 countries. UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has hailed the agreement, considering it a sign of hope for the Syrian population, but he drew attention that there is still a lot to be done to enforce it.




    TENNIS – Romanian Simona Halep, the competitions second seed, is today playing Russian Elena Vesnina, in the second round of the Doha tournament, with 2.5 million dollars in prize money up for grabs. In the doubles, Simona Halep and Raluca Olaru of Romania lost in the first round to Andreja Klepac / Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia. On Monday evening, the pair made up of Romanian Monica Niculescu and Russian Margarita Gasparian qualified to the round of last sixteen of the Doha tournament, after securing a victory against the pair Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia)/Ekaterina Makarova (Russia). In the singles, Niculescu has qualified for the second round, after defeating German Sabine Lisicki on Monday. She will face Serbian Jelena Jankovic in the second round.


    Translated by Diana Vijeu

  • January 27, 2016

    January 27, 2016

    JUSTICE –The European Commission has today underlined, in the assessing report under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, that Romania has made progress in the judicial reform. The European Commission has words of appreciation for the institutions that fight against corruption, such as the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, and is critical of Parliament for putting brakes on the fight against corruption. The legislature is also being criticized for having issued negative opinions to requests coming from the judiciary, without however motivating them. Also, the report draws attention to the nominations that are being made at the top of the judicial system, which should be made based on a transparent procedure, to consolidate the independence of the judiciary. The Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, said it was encouraging to see that Romania further made reforms in 2015 and underlined that efforts should be intensified, with special emphasis on the prevention of corruption and ensuring the necessary conditions for judges to accomplish their mission appropriately. The Cooperation and Verification Mechanism is a process assessing the progress made by Romania in the judicial reform, and the fight against corruption and organised crime. It will further be active in 2016.



    TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL – Romania ranks 58th in Transparency Internationals 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index. With 46 points, as compared to an average of 65.36 at EU level, Romania is among the EU member states with the lowest number of points, alongside Bulgaria, Greece and Italy. Ranking first, for the fourth year in a row, is Denmark, the country with the lowest perceived level of corruption the world over. North Korea and Somalia are at the bottom of the classification, with only 8 points. The points accumulated by a country/ territory show the perceived level of corruption on a scale from zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). 168 countries have been included in Transparency Internationals 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index.



    CORRUPTION – The leadership of the Romanian Senate is today discussing the National Anti-Corruption Directorates request to start prosecution against former Deputy Prime Minister and interior minister Gabriel Oprea. He faces two charges of abuse in office and of gaining undue benefits for himself or another person during his term in office. He has reportedly used human and material resources of the Romanian Interior Ministry to illegally benefit from police escort and motorcade while holding the internal affairs portfolio.



    BAN ON SMOKING– The law banning smoking in public places in Romania observes the countrys Constitution, Romanias Constitution Court has today ruled. Thus, the court has rejected the notification on this issue submitted by several Senators from all political parties. Adopted in December, in a plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies, the law bans smoking in enclosed public places, be they at the workplace, playgrounds, healthcare units, education institutions, as well as child protection and welfare centres. At present 17 of the 28 EU member states impose a total ban on smoking in enclosed public places, on means of transportation and at the workplace.



    HEALTHCARE – Romania is affected by obsolete medical assistance structures, the European Medical Systems Index shows. Last year, Romania went up three positions and is now on the 32nd place, with only 527 out of a total of 1,000 points. In one of the most important categories, “treatment result, Romania ranked at the bottom of the classification, alongside Macedonia. Bucharest also got a low number of points for other chapters such as infantile mortality rate, abortion rate and cancer survival rate. The report, drafted by a Swedish company also shows that Romania, just like Albania and Bulgaria, have a high and costly hospitalisation rate.



    TENNIS-The pair made up of Romanian tennis player Horia Tecau and the American Coco Vandeweghe has qualified to mixed doubles semi-finals of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, after defeating the Americans Bob Bryan/ Bethanie Mattek-Sands, seeded 2nd in the competition. The Romanian-American pair will meet in the semi-finals the pair Andreja Klepac (Slovenia)/Treat Huey (the Philippines). In another move, the Czech Republic has announced that Petra Kvitova, WTAs no. 7 and best Czech tennis player will be the leader of the tennis team which will meet Romania in the first round of the Fed Cups World Group. The match is due in the Romanian western city of Cluj Napoca. Romania will not benefit from the expertise of its best player, Simona Halep, WTAs no.2, who is to have an operation on her nose.


    (Translated by Diana Vijeu)

  • September 1, 2015

    September 1, 2015

    PARLIAMENT – After a two-month vacation, Romanian senators and deputies met on September the 1st in the second common session this year. The agenda of the session includes important draft laws, with a significant social and political impact. One such draft is the new fiscal code bill, which has been sent back to parliament by president Klaus Iohannis, for revision. Last week, political leaders decided by consensus to adopt the draft in its initial form, already approved by parliament two months ago, but some of the measures will be implemented in stages. The first measure stipulated in the new Fiscal Code refers to a gradual reduction of the VAT, in two stages, down to 20% in January 2016, and further to 19% in 2017. The additional tax on fuels and the special constructions tax are kept one more year, except for special constructions in agriculture, because that tax will be eliminated next year. Alongside the fiscal code, the salary law and the “vote by mail law are in the focus of public attention.



    HEALTHCARE – The health card is mandatory in Romania, as of today. Thus, it becomes the only instrument that can be used to discount and validate medical services in the public healthcare system for insured people, older than 18. Emergency medical services are not conditioned by the presentation of the card. In exchange, people suffering from chronic illnesses should use it at all providers of medical services, from doctors to pharmacists. Some 15 million cards have already been issued so far, and approximately 600,000 others will be ready by the end of the year.



    AIR TRAFFIC – The Romanian air traffic controllers all out strike for an indefinite period of time due to start on September the 1st has been cancelled, after the employees representatives reached an agreement with the employers. The two sides signed a new collective bargaining agreement. The air traffic controllers claims included pay rises, a reduction of the retirement age from 65 to 55 years, better working conditions and the resignation of the companys management. On July the 15th, air traffic controllers went on a two –hour token strike, an unprecedented situation in the Romanian air transport system. According to ROMATSA, which currently has some 1,500 employees, Romanias airspace in transited by 2,500-3,000 aircraft every day.



    TOURISM – Some 5.3 million tourists were registered in Romania in the first seven months of the year, data made public by the Romanian hotel industry show. The figure is 17% higher than in the same period of 2014. Over 23% of these tourists, 1.23 million respectively, were foreign nationals, data released by the National Statistics Institute show. Most tourists came from Europe (75%), and 85% of these were EU citizens.



    FESTIVAL – Performing in Bucharest on Tuesday, the third day of the George Enescu International Festival is the Israel Philarmonic Orchestra under the baton of world famous conductor Zubin Mehta, alongside the “George Enescu Philharmonic Choir. The concert program includes pieces by Enescu and Mahler. The George Enescu International Music Festival, one of the most outstanding events of its kind in Europe, is unfolding in Bucharest until September the 20th. Over 3,000 prominent foreign and Romanian musicians will perform on the stage of the festival.



    TENNIS – Second seeded Romanian tennis player Simona Halep is today facing Marina Erakovic, in the first round of the US Open, the last Grand Slam tournament of the year. Also today, Irina Begu (WTA ranking: 28) is today facing Olga Govortsova, Alexandra Dulgheru is meeting Angelique Kerber, and Monica Niculescu is facing Alexandra Panova. Another Romanian, Andreea Mitu, was defeated on Monday in the inaugural round by Teresa Smitkova.



    WEATHER – Meteorologists have today issued a new Code Orange alert against heat and thermal discomfort, valid on Wednesday for 11 counties in eastern, central and south-western Romania. The thermal discomfort index will further be high, and maximum temperatures will reach 37-38 degrees C. In the rest of the territory, it continues to be hot in most regions of the country, where the highs of the day stand at 35-36 degrees C. A Code Orange alert is valid today for the counties situated in the west and east of the country, but the heat wave also affects the rest of the territory, where temperatures stand at 35 – 37 degrees C. The noon reading in Bucharest was 31 degrees.