Premier urges strategy for primary medical care development

Following an ordinance issued by Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev, a special task force is to work on a strategy for the development of primary medical care in Moldova, based on assessment reports in the field. The document will include concrete and definite steps to restore medical establishments and strengthen the infrastructure, with emphasis on rural areas. The plan will also stipulate the endowment of health centres with medical equipment, medical personnel, the implementation of medical technologies, other. At a Government meeting, the Prime Minister noted that over the past years the priorities in the medical field were focused on stopping the degradation of Moldovan medical-sanitary institutions and on the provision of the necessary quantities of drugs. In 2007, 3.2 billion lei were allocated from the state budget for public health, compared with 590 million lei in 2001. At present, the development of primary medical assistance is a top priority, taking into consideration the difficult situation in which this extremely important compartment of the health system is in. By improving the primary medical assistance system, we will increase the access of the population, especially from rural areas, to medical services, and in this way will improve the living standards, Health Minister Ion Ababii said. The main issues existing in the field, which require a comprehensive solution, are the lack of response units, the unsatisfactory condition of medical establishments, and the inadequate infrastructure.