To succeed in attracting European funds in the healthcare sector, ensuring the exchange of experience between the two banks of the Prut, which would lead to the development of the health system, is the first step that should be taken, while the maintenance of the established relationships and the development of other links by medical institutions are the next necessary steps. Also, the technical projects must be drawn up and submitted at the right time, jointly with the partners in Romania, Oleg Belbas, head of the Public Medical and Sanitary Institution “Ungheni Health Center”, stated at a public debate staged by IPN News Agency.

Oleg Belbas noted that the institution’s short-term objective is to carry out an energy efficiency project by insulating the institution, as well as a project to found, within the Ungheni Health Center, a regional center for early detection of breast, cervical and colorectal cancer by modernizing the equipment. The financial resources for the purpose come from the CNAM’s Development and Modernization Fund, but they are insufficient. The European funds are larger funds and the chance of obtaining them is probably higher.

Iurie Calestru, programs director at the Institute for Development and Expertise of Projects (IDEP Moldova), said that the range of opportunities for applying to European projects for Moldovan entities is smaller as the pre-accession assistance instrument has not yet been launched. Until then, however, other opportunities can be exploited, such as the Three Seas Initiative or the European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs). For the purpose, the EGTC and a contact point should be created in Moldova and then as many projects as possible must be designed for the healthcare sector and projects should be submitted continuously because there is no time limit, only some financial limits, the total fund of the particular programs to which the Republic of Moldova can have access together with Romania.

The IDEP Moldova programs director noted that in order to develop joint projects in the healthcare sector, each institution should first identify its potential to set up an investment attraction service that will adopt strategies according to the new European integration realities. Also, together with the Ministry of Health, the best ways to submit applications for funding should be identified and, respectively, these applications should be submitted.

Iurie Calestru also believes that training is needed at the institutional level to turn problems into projects and projects into programs so as to absorb European funds.

The public debate entitled “Cooperation in healthcare sector between entities from both banks of the Prut River in order to absorb European funds in mixed Moldovan-Romanian teams” was the 14th installment of the project “Double integration through cooperation and information. Continuity”, funded by the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova. The content of this debate does not represent the official position of the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova.