All the sides responsible for the public procurement of drugs were summoned for a closed-door meeting at the Ministry of Health, which lasted for about two hours. After the meeting, acting Deputy Minister of Health Mihai Ciocanu said the absence of drugs in hospitals is caused by the deficiencies in the public procurement process, particularly as regards the signing of contracts between suppliers of medicines and the hospitals, IPN reports.

“There are delays in the process of signing and transmitting the contracts by the contractors. This problem was discussed and it was agreed that all the contracts will be signed by the sides in the nearest future. We also discussed the issue of communication, which should be improved between the sides, namely the Public Procurement Agency, the Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices and the medical institutions,” stated Ciocanu, adding that the third problem discussed was the fluctuation of the exchange rate of the national currency.

The official also said that there are no hospitals without drugs, but there are hospitals were the supplies will be enough for the next two months only. There is a shortage of consumables because no tender contests were held, but it was agreed that the hospitals will make small direct purchases of up to 50,000 lei.

In a communique issued on February 9, the National Health Insurance Company calls on the people to contact its free green line on 0800 99999 if the hospital does not have the necessary medicines during their treatment. The patients who had to purchase drugs because these were absent in the hospital are asked to keep the sales slip and to ask for a refund from the administration of the medical-sanitary institution or from the Company’s local offices.