After the shocking statement that almost 80% of the hospitals in Romania should be closed down if rules were enforced, the Health minister Vlad Voiculescu on Thursday reiterated the warning, also pointing to another major deficiency of the healthcare system: 30% of the hospitals in Romania are housed in buildings with high seismic risks.
“The hospital closure statement used to shock many. Yet, I believe we must call things by their proper names. We are not doing any favors by dressing up reality, neither to doctors, or decision makers or to the patients,” the Health minister told a debate on Thursday.
Voiculescu said that a study of the national health infrastructure would be released next week, which reveals that major investments are needed.
“We don’t have money to build all hospitals this country needs. We have a study of the national health infrastructure to be released most probably next week. Around 30 percent of the national hospitals in Romania are functioning in buildings with high seismic risk. So, we need major investments in the healthcare infrastructure in Romania, and, in my view, the funds can be easily provided by the private sector as well, as the efficiency that the private sector can bring is essential,” the Health minister stated.
The minister argued that the mapping of the health services in Romania and preparing the project (establishing the location and the feasibility studies) are essential for any investment.
“We are doing that for those three regional hospitals agreed within the EU partnership agreement. We selected two plots of land in Cluj and Craiova, given by the Ministry of Defence. A third regional hospital will be established in Iasi very soon, strictly on technical standards,” Voiculescu added.
The minister explained that the private sector will not get involved the medical procedure, but in financing and erecting the hospital building, and also in providing the equipment.
Minister Voiculescu also informed that the vaccination law “is almost concluded” and would be released very soon.