The Health Care Center in Varnita village has become more spacious now that a new annex with physiotherapy wards, diagnosis rooms and family doctors’ offices was built with the financial support of the European Union within the Support to Confidence Building Measures Program. Now more than 13,000 locals and people from Tiraspol, Bender or Slobozia will receive consultations and day care without staying in queues for hours, IPN reports.

According to a press release of the Program, the Varnita Health Care Facility, built in 2013, was to initially serve about 7,000 people annually, 5,200 of whom locals and the rest inhabitants of Bender. In a short period of time, the number of patients increased to 13,000, mainly due to the flow of people from the left bank of the Nistru River. As from 2012, following a Government decision, the health insurance policy holders from Bender, Tiraspol and Slobozia can register at the Varnita Health Care Center.

“There are primarily pregnant women or pensioners from the left bank of the Nistru River who receive health insurance policy free-of-charge or people who buy it. As there wasn’t enough space in the Center’s building, two family doctors had to work in the same room. Now patients and doctors will be more comfortable,” said chief nurse Veronica Coledinschi.

“The Varnita Health Care Centre is a great example of how the EU supports the improvement of the daily life of citizens from both banks of Nistru River. We will continue to support these activities. These will include, amongst others, social infrastructure improvement,” said the EU Ambassador to Moldova Peter Michalko.

The European Union has provided 51,907 for building the annex, and the local community contributed €6,555 for equipping it.

Starting from 2009, in the framework of the Support to Confidence Building Measures Program funded by the EU and implemented by the UNDP, more than 80 social institutions from both banks of the Nistru River have been refurbished and outfitted with furniture or equipment.