Fewer doctors, but more patients

The shortage of personnel remains one of the most serious problems faced by the Chisinau medical-sanitary institutions, said the head of the Chisinau Municipal Council’s Health Division Luminita Suveica, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. “During the last four years, the number of doctors decreased from 2,040 in 2005 to 1,943 in 2009, while the number of patients in this period rose almost twice. The general morbidity in 2005 was 4,799 persons per 100,000 people, while in 2009 – 7,426.1,” Luminita Suveica said, specifying that the non-provision of dwellings to the medical personal and the low salaries are among the major causes for such a situation. Suveica asked the Chisinau Council to help solve the dwelling problem by providing plots for construction or apartments. The rector of the State University of Medicine and Pharmaceutics Ion Ababii considers that the local authorities can follow the example of Moscow and increase doctors’ pays by providing bonuses. “The mayors of many capital cities support the medical personnel by raising their salaries from local resources. The teachers in Chisinau benefit from such support, but the doctors do not,” Ababii said. Minister of Health Vladimir Hotineanu praised the doctors for their courage and devotion. “Even if the Greceanyi Government did not fulfill their obligations in 2009 and did not finance the National Health Insurance Company during four months, the medical employees coped with the situation and did not allow the indicators in the health sector to worsen,” he said, adding that in 2010 all the national programs will be financed fully. The medical-sanitary institutions in Chisinau work with 84% of personnel. In 2009, 123 doctors were fired, while 98 were hired. The monthly average salary in the health sector is 2,961 lei.