Last year, 1,768 babies were born prematurely in Moldova, and 52 of them died; the year before, of the 1,786 preterm babies born, 91 did not survive. The deficit of healthcare specialists, the worn-out incubators, the poor health literacy among parents and the lack of a pre-natal and post-natal monitoring program are some of the causes that lead to the deaths and, to some extent, to preterm births occuring in the first place. This was discussed at a roundtable event called “Prematurity in Moldova: Achievements and Solutions”, held today in Chisinau.

At the Mother and Child Institute in Chisinau and at the Center for Temporary Placement and Rehabilitation for Children in Balti, the equipment in the departments for premature babies is at the limit of wear and tear. About 1 million euros is needed to buy new incubators and medical consumables, says Pavel Timotin, engineer-coordinator at the Mother and Child Institute.

Maia Bănărescu, Ombudsperson for Children’s Rights, says that women that give birth to premature babies almost never choose to take legal action despite violations. This is because they are not adequately informed or they simply resign themselves to the “harsh realities of life” in our country.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection is working to draft the National Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Strategy for 2020-2030 to ensure universal and fair access to medical information and services for pregnant women, children and adolescents, informs the institution in a response to the Ombudsman’s Office.

At the same time, the Ministry of Health says that the SMURD cross-border project is properly equipped to carry infants born prematurely to hospitals in Chisinau and Balti. Also, last year the the government purchased 109 new ambulances through the Emergency Medical Assistance Program, and 160 more suitably equipped ambulances are expected to be bought this year.