The Cabinet approved the initiation of negotiations on the joint project of the Moldovan Government and the Council of Europe Development Bank concerning the purchase of ambulances for the emergency medical assistance service. The group of negotiators on behalf of Moldova will be led by Boris Galca, Secretary Of State at the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Protection, IPN reports.

Under the national program for developing the emergency medical assistance for 2016–2020, the pre-hospital emergency medical assistance system needs 450 ambulances of type “B” and “C”. Now the National Pre-Hospital Emergency Medical Assistance Center has 295 ambulances made in 1996–2013 and most of these are 100% worn-out.

The first step to renew the sanitary transport was taken in 2017, when the National Pre-Hospital Emergency Medical Assistance Center initiated the procedure for buying 69 ambulances of type “B”.

The Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Protection asked to prioritize in 2018 the purchases of ambulances as a precondition for the hospital medical assistance reform. A sum of 273 million lei was earmarked in the state budget for the purpose. A number of 133 ambulances of type “B) (€60,000–70,000 per unit) and about 35 ambulances of type “C: (€100,000–105,000 per unit) are to be  purchased in accordance with the international procurement rules, with the Council of Europe compliance certificate in accordance with the European standards on medical vehicles and their equipment.

The National Pre-Hospital Emergency Medical Assistance Center aims to reduce the death rate during the first 24 hours of hospitalization by 10% by increasing the response capacity of the emergency medical assistance service and by improving interoperability with other emergency services. To implement the agreement, the Council of Europe Development Bank was requested to lend €12 million. In 2017 the Government helped purchase ambulances to the value of €2.7 million.