From Covid hospitals to vaccination

Peoples access to medical services during the pandemic has sparked off heated debates in Romania

Eugen Coroianu, 10.02.2021, 14:00

One of
the controversial issues confronting the Romanian society during the pandemic
is the one concerning the access to the medical services of the patients
suffering from other conditions than the Covid-19 infection. Their access to
these services has been limited in this period when the system was trying to
cope with the new challenges, turning a series of hospitals into specialized facilities
aimed at treating those infected also hindering the activity of the medical
personnel due to the anti-Covid protocols.

The situation
proved to be a real challenge for a frail medical system like Romania’s. In the
past year, the Covid hospitals have exclusively treated those infected and it is
high time now we change this concept, the opposition Social Democrat MP Alexandru
Rafila said at the meeting his party had with representatives of the main
patients organisations and trade unions in Romania’s healthcare sector.

According
to doctor Rafila, all those attending the meeting have agreed on the need for
the conclusion of a national agreement in the country’s healthcare sector
backed by all the political groups and civil society.

Alexandru Rafila: Obviously, patients organisations want an
easy and sure access to healthcare services and medicine. Maybe it’s the right
time for Romania to change this concept as it is happening in other EU
countries where hospitals are treating patients separately in order to increase
access to healthcare services. I believe that a National Agreement in the
country’s healthcare system would be ideal and make a good example for other
fields of activity.

In turn,
a representative of the patients has underlined the fact that during the
pandemic, those with chronic conditions were being neglected by the public
healthcare sector and this situation has to be improved.

In
another development, the head of the national Committee for the Coordination of
the anti-Covid Vaccination, physician Valeriu Gheorghiţă, estimated that the
third leg of the immunization campaign destined for the population is due to
kick off in April unless there are more delays in the supply chain. Gheorghita
explained that it is important for the authorities to implement the principle
of 75%, making doses available to the vulnerable population, people with
chronic conditions, the elderly and for 25% of the people working in the
country’s key sectors. According to Gheorghita, 750 centers totaling roughly
1760 vaccination points have been made available for the immunization of people,
able to provide 100 thousand daily doses at full capacity.

(bill)