President Klaus Iohannis has paid a visit to the Matei Bals Institute on Friday after the fire that claimed five lives this morning. He conveyed condolences to the families of the victims and said he had asked the Health minister to kick off a reform project to encompass quick solutions.
“The situation is kind of repeating itself. We have recently had the tragedy in Piatra Neamt and the reasons now are obviously various, an investigation is under way and it will point who’s to blame.
In my opinion, the situation is much more extensive. We are dealing with structural issues across hospitals and I asked the new Health minister to prioritize on a reform project of the entire healthcare system and I wait for the first ideas to kick off this reform,” said the head of state, taking the opportunity again to thank for the medical staff for their efforts these week.
In his turn, PM Florin Citu opined that the fire from Matei Bals hospital is the result of a lack of investments and of the way the checks are being conducted. Citu sent a tough warning to the employees who are conducting these safety checks: “Do you job, or go home!”.
“The old habits of the healthcare system have been present today in this tragedy again. Although important resources were allotted to the system in 2020, 6.1% out of GDP, only a very small part were assigned to investments. We must understand that we cannot go on like this, we cannot spend 95% of resources only on salaries and bonuses! I am waiting for the final conclusions of the investigation. We haven’t learnt anything from the experience last year (editor note: the fire at Piatra Neamt)”, the prime minister stated.
He sent a tough warning to the employees in administration, in the Health Ministry, from the public health directorates, to the inspectors: “Get out of your offices, do your job, or go home, all of you! Every employee must do the job which he/she is paid for”.