The state during the last three years had partially subsidized the treatment abroad for 150 Moldovans. Secretary of state at the Ministry of Health Rodica Scutelnic in a press club meeting said the impossibility of providing the necessary medical services in Moldova is the only criterion used to select beneficiaries, IPN reports.

A sum of over 3 million lei has been earmarked for treatment abroad during the last three years. In 2014, the costs of treatment abroad were partially covered for 59 patients. Fourteen applications were rejected for the reason that the treatment could be received in Moldova. In 2015, 64 of the 72 filed applications were accepted, while in 2016, of the 58 applications 53 were accepted.

Most of the patients benefitted from oncological treatment abroad. In case of children, bone marrow transplants and surgery for very rare congenital malformations prevailed. The Moldovan patients go abroad for cardiothoracic surgery as well as for types of radiosurgery and radiotherapy. Owing to investments made in the health system, liver transplants in children can be performed in Moldova as well, stated Rodica Scutelnic.

Contacted earlier by IPN, Minister of Health Ruxanda Glavan said the costs can be partially covered when a patient with a stable diagnosis is consulted by national specialists and these conclude that the person cannot be treated in Moldova. The given conclusion should reach the specialty commission of the Ministry of Health together with the application from the patient and a set of documents. The patient travels to the foreign hospital, receives treatment and returns with all the documents showing that he received treatment and is paid back the sums set initially. The regulations provide that the compensation cannot exceed 25% of the cost of treatment. There are yet situations when the allocated sum can be increased.