RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

Salary Rise in the Romanian Healthcare System

The decision to raise healthcare salaries triggered immediate criticism from the Opposition.

Salary Rise in the Romanian Healthcare System
Salary Rise in the Romanian Healthcare System

, 19.08.2015, 13:51

The situation of the Romanian healthcare system is among the few issues to spark off such passion in public debates. Patients and their relatives point a finger to the bad conditions in hospitals and to the incompetence, ill- meaning attitude or rudeness of the healthcare staff, from janitors to hospital directors. Doctors and nurses in their turn complain about the prolonged under-financing of the system, the lack of equipment and the small salaries.



The Romanian government announced it would try to correct part of these abnormalities and decided to raise the salaries of almost 200 thousand people in the field by 25% as of October 1st. The measure will be adopted next week in a government session, said the Social Democrat prime minister Victor Ponta. He said other increases would follow so that by 2017 salaries will double. The measure, the PM added, is possible thanks to the money saved due to the introduction of the obligatory health cards this year.



Also next week the government will send to Parliament a draft law that should state the conditions in which patients can offer doctors small “gifts which many simply call “bribe. The Justice Ministry will draft a bill that shall stipulate the conditions in which patients can give further contributions to those who treated them. Therefore receiving further contributions will not be illegal if they are not conditioned by the doctor or nurse, if they are granted after the completion of the medical act and if they are declared by the recipient for taxation purposes.



The friendly measures taken by the government come against the backdrop of increasing discontent in the healthcare system. Thus over 16 thousand doctors have joined an initiative group set up on a social network where they talk about their small salaries and a possible all-out strike.



The co-president of the National Liberal Party, in opposition, Alina Gorghiu, accuses the government of having gone on a populist move, which will make Romania hard to govern shortly. The claims for salary rises are justified but they cannot be met simultaneously because they will affect the financial stability of the country- the Liberal politician also added. She warned that increasing salaries in the healthcare system would trigger off similar claims by other categories of state employees.



And she was right. The police trade union leaders have also asked for a 25% rise in their salaries. The education trade unions have hailed the measure to increase the medical staffs wage and have requested a similar pay rise for teachers. Trade unionists say that pay rises for certain categories to the detriment of other categories have already led to increased discontent among employees in the education system, which could cause protest actions, now, less than a month before the start of the new school year.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (Source: NATO)
Today in the News Tuesday, 05 November 2024

NATO must stay united

NATO will work with the winner of the US elections, whoever that person may be and will do its best to stay united, NATO secretary general Mark Rutte...

NATO must stay united
Maia Sandu (Photo: presedinte.md)
Today in the News Monday, 04 November 2024

Moldova stays on path to Europe

Moldova’s pro-European president Maia Sandu won a new  4-year term in Sunday’s second round run-off, with over 55% of the votes cast in the...

Moldova stays on path to Europe
The head of the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP), Toni Grebla
Today in the News Monday, 04 November 2024

Election campaigns in Romania

    The campaign for the general election in Romania started last week, at midnight on Thursday, and will end on 30 November. During this...

Election campaigns in Romania
November 1 - National Radio Day
Today in the News Friday, 01 November 2024

Radio Romania 96

Radio Romania has celebrated 96 years since it first entered the listeners houses from Romania and abroad. On November 1 1928 the Romanians were able...

Radio Romania 96
Today in the News Thursday, 31 October 2024

Romanians’ concerns

Romanians and Austrians are the most satisfied with their lives among the inhabitants of Central and Eastern Europe, but the former are significantly...

Romanians’ concerns
Today in the News Thursday, 31 October 2024

Republic of Moldova, crucial final

On November 3, the citizens of the Republic of Moldova have to choose, for the position of head of state, between the pro-European Maia Sandu, the...

Republic of Moldova, crucial final
Today in the News Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Drones, a security issue

The Romanian Ministry of National Defense has placed under decisional transparency a bill that improves airspace security measures. The bill, which...

Drones, a security issue
Today in the News Wednesday, 30 October 2024

The Fugitive Law is constitutional

The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) has rejected the referral of the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ) in relation to the so-called...

The Fugitive Law is constitutional

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company