Health Ministry and WHO sign two-year cooperation agreement

The Ministry of Health of Moldova and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe have signed a cooperation agreement for 2010-2011, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting the Ministry’s press service. The agreement focuses on the main cooperation areas between the Ministry and the WHO, namely strengthening of the major functions of the health system, improvement of the quality and integrity of the medical maternal, neonatal, pediatric and reproductive health services. The parties also agreed to strengthen the supervision and control of infectious diseases, management of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, the tobacco and alcohol control policies, the mental health system’s capacities and the capacity for protecting the environment and preparing for disasters. Minister of Health Vladimir Hotineanu said the signing of the agreement was an important moment for the health system, adding that Moldova benefited from the WHO’s support in implementing the most important reforms in the field. Pavel Ursu, the head of the WHO Office in Moldova, said the WHO will provide assistance mainly in implementing the national health policy and the strategy for developing the health system and in sectors of the public health system considered of major importance. Moldova became a WHO member in 1992. The cooperation is regulated by the Basic Agreement signed by the Government of Moldova and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe on July 21, 1994. The WHO offers support to Moldova under the standard technical assistance agreement between the Moldovan Government and the United Nations Development Program signed on October 2, 1992.