Health Minister Ala Nemerenco says legislation changes are needed to make sure primary care physicians don’t leave rural areas.

A year ago legislation was passed that allowed family physicians to open their individual practice. And while a little fewer than 50 doctors have so far chosen to do so, Nemerenco says this tends to affect rural areas mostly.

“Rural areas just don’t offer a very lucrative practice,” explained the minister, adding that legislation measures are needed to correct this.

The respective law took effect on 5 November 2018. It allows family doctors to either start an individual practice or associate themselves with one ore more colleagues to open a family doctors’ center. A third option is to find a job in an existing primary care establishment.