Radio România Internațional

Tag: Kraken

  • Romania is facing a shortage of medicines

    Romania is facing a shortage of medicines

    The
    number of people diagnosed with respiratory infections is on the rise in
    Romania just like in most of the European countries in this cold season. A
    higher number of people than usual have requested assistance from family
    physicians and hospitals around the country. Doctors have lately reported cases
    of double infection with both Covid and flu viruses, as well as patients
    infected with the new strain known as Kraken.




    Experts
    believe the new flu wave is going to reach its peak in the following weeks and
    will begin to diminish in the second half of February. They have again urged
    people to refrain from getting random treatment and call for professional assistance
    instead, as the growing number of infection has recently caused a shortage of some
    medicines.




    Pharmacies
    across the country have reported a shortage of drugs used in pediatric
    treatment such as those based on ibuprofen, paracetamol or even some antibiotics.
    According to Health Minister Alexandru Rafila,
    parents have complained about the absence on the market of several types of anti-fever
    syrups used in the treatment of children. On the other hand, patients have complained
    about the higher prices in the replacements of these products.




    Minister
    Rafila has again given assurances that Romania isn’t facing a crisis of inflammatory
    drugs as there are factories producing these types of medicine here and
    explained the shortage was caused by the delayed supplies of raw materials from
    China.


    Late
    last year the ministry proposed a temporary suspension in the exports of
    anti-fever drugs and antibiotics. In turn, producers have complained that prices
    in some medicines do not cover the production costs adding that their small prices
    and latest price hikes in electricity will lead to the disappearance of several
    types of drugs.




    The
    situation is even more complicated when it comes to the treatment of cancer. According
    to the president of the Federal Association of Cancer Patients, Cezar Irimia, 7
    oncology drugs have been missing since last year.




    Cezar Irimia: These drugs have been missing since last
    year. And we have reported the issue to the ministry and they pledged a
    solution to the situation. We have even produced evidence these drugs are being
    exported, but to no avail. Our call-center has signaled the absence of 7
    oncology drugs since the beginning of the year.




    However, the ministry
    says only three medicines are missing out of which, two are present in storage
    facilities. Here is Health Minister Alexandru Rafila




    Alexandru Rafila: We have checked and found out that of these three
    medicines, two are in storage in large quantities now. Of course, as a ministry,
    we cannot replace hospital managers who haven’t ordered these medicines. There
    is only a single issue with this one product, an older oncology drug. This is
    the only problem that we are having now with this drug.




    Alexandru
    Rafila says that he is waiting for a solution in the case of the aforementioned
    drug from a specialized committee with the Health Ministry.


    (bill)

  • Lipsă de medicamente în România

    Lipsă de medicamente în România

    Numărul
    persoanelor diagnosticate cu infecţii respiratorii creşte în România de
    la o săptămână la alta, cum se întâmplă în această perioadă în majoritatea
    țărilor europene. Un număr de pacienți
    mult mai mare decât în mod obișnuit ajung la medicii de familie şi la camerele
    de gardă ale spitalelor din întreaga ţară.

    Recent, medicii au semnalat şi
    cazuri de infectare simultană cu coronavirus şi virus gripal, precum și oameni
    infectați cu noua tulpină de coronavirus denumită Kraken.

    Specialiştii
    estimează că vârful valului gripal va fi atins în săptămânile următoare şi că o
    scădere a numărului de îmbolnăviri va fi abia în a doua jumătate a lunii
    viitoare. Ei reiau apelurile către
    populaţie să nu ia medicamente la întâmplare şi să solicite sfatul medicilor,
    în condițiile în care îmbolnăvirile în număr foarte mare amplifică criza
    determinată de lipsa unor medicamente din farmacii. Vorbim în special de cele
    pediatrice, pe bază de paracetamol, ibuprofen sau chiar de unele antibiotice.

    Ministrul Sănătății, Alexandru Rafila, subliniază că pe piaţă sunt siropuri
    antitermice cu aceste substanţe şi că problema apare în momentul în care
    părinţii caută unele medicamente consacrate. La rândul lor, pacienții reclamă
    prețurile mari ale înlocuitorilor. Alexandru Rafila dă, din nou, asigurări că în
    România nu este criză de medicamente antiinflamatoare şi antitermice, pentru că
    avem fabrici proprii care produc substanţa de bază din astfel de produse, dar a
    adăugat că lipsa parţială de pe piaţă a unor medicamente a fost cauzată de
    întârzierile în livrarea materiei prime din China.

    Mai trebuie amintit că ministerul a propus, la finalul anului trecut, suspendarea
    temporară a distribuţiei în afara teritoriului României a unor medicamente
    antibiotice şi antitermice. La rândul lor, producătorii spun că prețurile unor
    medicamente nu acoperă costurile de producție, iar costul mic al pastilelor,
    dar și majorarea prețurilor la energie și utilități vor duce la dispariția mai
    multor medicamente.

    Situația este mult mai complicată în cazul medicamentelor
    pentru tratarea bolnavilor de cancer. Preşedintele Federaţiei Asociaţiilor
    bolnavilor de cancer, Cezar Irimia, a declarat că pacienţii au reclamat încă de
    la începutul anului că nu se găsesc şapte medicamente oncologice.

    Cezar Irimia: Lipsesc încă de anul trecut. Am sesizat acest lucru ministerului.
    Ni s-a promis că problema se va rezolva. I-am adus chiar dovezi că aceste
    medicamente pleacă la exportul paralel şi tot nu s-a făcut nimic în acest sens,
    iar de la începutul anului avem în call center-ul nostru şapte medicamente
    reclamate de pacienţi că nu se găsesc.

    Ministrul sănătăţii susține că
    lipsesc doar trei medicamente din care două sunt în depozite.

    Alexandru Rafila: Din cele trei medicamente, am verificat, două există în depozite
    în cantităţi mari. Sigur, nu putem noi, ca şi Minister al Sănătăţii, să
    înlocuim managerii spitalelor care nu au comandat aceste medicamente. Există o
    singură problemă la un produs, un produs mai vechi din punct de vedere al
    utilizării în terapia oncologică, la care avem o problemă    . În
    acest caz, Alexandru Rafila a spus că aşteaptă de la comisia de specialitate
    din Ministerul Sănătăţii o soluţie pentru medicamentul care nu se găseşte de
    mult timp.


  • January 10, 2022

    January 10, 2022

    Covid. The first cases of infection with the new strain of the coronavirus, called Kraken, have been confirmed in Romania. Specialists say that, although the number of cases of COVID-19 is on the rise again, there are no problems managing them, including those that require hospitalization, and the new variants of SARS-CoV-2 do not generate concerns about the severity of the disease. On the other hand, there have also been cases of double infection, with flu and Covid, and a 74-year-old woman diagnosed with Flurona, a term used by specialists to describe simultaneous infection with the two viruses, has died.



    Visit. The Romanian Minister of Defense, Angel Tîlvăr, accompanied by the Chief of Staff, General Daniel Petrescu, is on a formal visit to Poland today. The program includes bilateral meetings with the Polish Minister of Defense, Mariusz Blaszczak, with representatives of the leadership of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, as well as with the soldiers of the Romanian air defense detachment Sky Guardians from the NATO Battle Group, deployed in Bemowo Piskie Training Area. According to the Ministry of Defense, the visit of the Romanian officials to Poland is proof of the excellent cooperation between the two countries, both bilaterally and within NATO. On Monday, Angel Tîlvăr and General Daniel Petrescu met with the Romanian soldiers stationed in the NATO military base in Pristina, Kosovo, who participate in the NATO KFOR operation. The officials from Bucharest also discussed the security situation in the region with the KFOR commander, Major General Angelo Michele Ristuccia (Italy).



    Meeting. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă had a meeting in Bucharest with the ambassadors to Romania of the Czech Republic, Halka Kaiserova, and Slovakia, Karol Mistrik, which was also attended by the representative of the Czech and Slovak minority in the Romanian Parliament, Adrian Miroslav Merka. During the discussions, aspects regarding the separation of the representation of the Czech and Slovak minorities in Romania into two distinct entities, with their own operating statutes, were examined. The importance of going through the appropriate procedural steps quickly to ensure an effective separation, which would allow the timely re-accreditation of the two distinct forms of representation and their participation in the next local and parliamentary elections, was emphasized. The meeting was a good opportunity to review the status of Romanias bilateral relations with the two countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The parties appreciated the excellent level of bilateral dialogue and emphasized the importance of boosting economic cooperation.



    Interest. The National Bank of Romania might increase the reference interest rate again today, in the first board meeting this year. Financial analysts expect the key interest rate to reach 7%, from the current 6.75%. It is the highest level of the key interest rate in 13 years. A higher key interest rate would automatically lead to an increase in loan rates in lei. Increasing interest rates is the main means by which the National Bank acts to keep inflation under control, after a year with record price increases.



    Deficit. Romania recorded, in the first 11 months of last year, a record trade balance deficit: the difference between imports and exports exceeded 31 billion euros, according to official statistical data. Romanias international trade continues to be dominated by exchanges with the member states of the European Union, which hold over 72% of the total in the case of exports and approximately 70 percent in terms of imports. More on this after the news.



    Research. The year 2022 was the most satisfactory for most Romanians (54%) compared to 2020 (24%) and 2021 (22%), years strongly marked by the restrictions caused by the pandemic, according to data from a Reveal Marketing Research study . According to the research, with the regaining of more freedoms, Romanians became more relaxed and optimistic in 2022. Regarding the expectations for the new year, Romanians are the most optimistic about the improvement of their personal financial situation compared to 2022 (43%). At the opposite pole, the level of pessimism reaches the highest values ​​with regard to the direction taken by the country starting this year, the improvement of the countrys economic situation and the reduction of the level of corruption being perceived as difficult or even impossible objectives to achieve by 46%, respectively 67 % of respondents. Regarding the professional sphere, 23% of Romanians want to change their job in 2023, and 50% want to keep their current job. The study was conducted online between December 28, 2022 and January 1, 2023 on a sample of 1,005 respondents, and the maximum sampling error is +/-3.1% at a 95% confidence level. (MI)