Mass resignations of doctors and nurses have started across hospitals in Romania, with the medical staff arguing they are afraid to treat COVID-19 cases as they are lacking the necessary protective equipment.
Mioveni
The first resignations were announced at Mioveni Hospital, Arges county on Sunday, when several doctors filed their resignations although the hospital is new, commissioned last year. The move came after authorities had announced the Mioveni hospital is turned into a support unit in the fight against the novel coronavirus.
The hospital manager said though the resignations had not been accepted, yet accepting “it’s hard to fight empty handed.” “I cannot accept their resignations. The discontent is related to the fact that, if you start fighting you must know how many bullets you have. It’s hard when you fight empty handed . You cannot make any plan”, said Horia Traila, the hospital manager.
He added they have no FFP3 masks, only 25 FFP2 masks and 60 protective jumpsuits. “We’re waiting explanations from the Health Ministry. The hospital has not been designed as a unit for infectious diseases”.
Mioveni Hospital was built from scratch following a EUR 68 million investment and was inaugurated last year.
Timisoara
Mass resignations have been also reported on Tuesday at Timisoara Clinical Hospital CF where nurses are afraid to get infected with the COVID-19. No confirmed case has been reported here for now.
According to the hospital manager, Marius Olaru, 13 nurses have filed their resignation for fear of coronavirus.
The past days, a patient suspect of coronavirus was received by the hospital, but the entire medical staff that made contact with the patient wore protective suits and masks.
Timisoara Clinical Hospital CF is in the second intervention line, meaning it will take over cases only of the infectious disease hospital in the city is running out of beds for the patients.
The manager mentioned the hospital has equipment from donations.
Brasov
Tens of doctors and nurses have also filed their resignations at the Neurology Hospital in Brasov. There were a medic during the trial period, seven nurses and two orderlies. The hospital had been declared supporting unit for treating coronavirus cases, being third in the intervention line.
Dorohoi
At Dorohoi, a small town in Botosani county, eastern Romania, the medical staff of the local hospital suspended their activity and gathered in the hospital’s courtyard. The trade union leader said it’s not a protest, but people are questioning the unit’s capability to treat COVID-19 cases. They were announced that the hospital in Dorohoi will treat coronavirus cases. The Sanitas trade union leader says the hospitla has no infrastructure, no mechanical ventilators and no medical staff for serious cases.
Criminal file after doctors from Drobeta Turnu Severin Hospital denied hospitalisation of coronavirus case
Policemen have opened a criminal file for foiling disease control after doctors from the Drobeta Turnu Severin Hospital had refused to admit a patient confirmed with COVID-19.
The patient was taken to the hospital in Drobeta with the ambulance on March 24, as he had major respiratory deficiencies. The specialist doctor decided not to admit the patient in hospital, but prescribed to take the medical treatment at home. Two days later, the patient called the ambulance again as his condition had got worse. The Drobeta Turnu Severin Hospital’s emergency rooms tested the patient and the result came back positive, but the hospital sent him to Craiova Emergency Hospital.