Owing to the shortage of personnel, ten local forensic units have been closed the last few year and six more such units in the districts of Râșcani, Edineț, Drochia, Fălești, Nisporeni and Hâncești face a similar situation. According those from the sector, forensic medicine is less attractive primarily owing to the low salaries. A beginner forensic expert has a gross salary of 7,000 lei. The experts say they have to work in bad conditions, IPN reports, quoting RFE/RL’s Moldovan Service.

Some 20% of the personnel from the forensic medicine sector are pensioners and they can leave any time. Vasile Șarpe, director of the Forensic Medicine Center, said the situation in which a number of local forensic units in the country are now is primarily due to the aging of the medical personnel.

“It happens that an expert retires, while another one dies and the situation worsens this way. In Chisinau, in some of the units we have sufficient personnel, while in others we do not have sufficient personnel. More staff is needed primarily in districts. Last year we opened a unit in Ungheni, but closed another two in Călărași and Criuleni. There are many pensioners who can leave any time,” Vasile Șarpe stated for RFE/RL’s Moldovan Service. He noted that the quality of forensic examinations is this way affected, while the field is not attractive to graduates.

The local forensic units in Briceni, Ocnița, Dondușeni, Șoldănești, Sângerei, Căușeni, Basarabeasca, Ceadâr-Lunga, Taraclia, and Vulcănești have been closed due to the shortage of staff. Six more units run a similar risk.

The Forensic Medicine Center employs 47 persons of retirement age and nine of them are doctors. The institution needs forensic experts, resident doctors, medical assistants and other staff. There are now four resident doctors at the Center after one doctor failed the exams last year, noted RFE/RL’s Moldovan Service.