Strengths and Weaknesses in Romanian Healthcare
Romania may become a provider of expertise in areas such as anti-smoking legislation and more, believes President Klaus Iohannis.
Daniela Budu, 25.02.2016, 14:37
The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis has called for solutions for a more efficient and better performing healthcare system. In an address given at the launch of the National Prevention Programme, the head of state pleaded for a healthier lifestyle and equal access to health promotion and education programmes. Johannis said Romania might become a provider of expertise for countries in the Balkans.
Klaus Iohannis: “Our country may become a provider of expertise in performance areas such as the flu monitoring system, the emergency system or the anti-smoking legislation.”
Information is vital to ensuring a proper health level, believes Klaus Iohannis, who mentioned that health education primarily addresses children and teenagers, but it should also target the underprivileged categories. In turn, the Healthcare Minister Patriciu Achimas Cadariu announced the start of public debates on the multi-annual integrated health promotion and education plan.
Patriciu Achimas Cadariu: “The principles underlying this plan are equality and universal access to prevention services, a focus on the specific needs of beneficiaries and respect for all beneficiaries. The plan is aimed at ensuring that in the coming 5 years the proportion of the population embracing a healthy lifestyle increases constantly, particularly among those categories that are incurring increased health risks.”
The Education Minister announced he would like to introduce a new subject in schools and kindergartens, called “Education for health,” teaching children about the benefits of healthy eating and hygiene and the problems caused by alcohol and smoking.
Meanwhile, the Romanian Healthcare Ministry signed a cooperation agreement with the World Health Organisation, which will run until the end of next year. The WHO appreciated Romania’s efforts to put together disease prevention programmes, the launch of the hospital-acquired infection monitoring and control plan this month, as well as the recent endorsement of the law that bans smoking in closed public areas. Next month a first public debate will be held, concerning the draft law on vaccination.
Also this spring, the Healthcare Ministry will develop the programme targeting the early diagnosis of cervical cancer and will draw up two other major prevention plans concerning the early detection of breast cancer and colorectal cancer, as part of a national Cancer Control Plan to be launched in April. As of March 10, inspections will be conducted in all hospitals in Romania, in the wake of the severe digestive infection cases involving babies reported recently.
