The director of the Chisinau Phthisiopneumology Hospital Maria Cetulean was fired by an order signed on April 17 following a number of irregularities identified at the institution she headed. The announcement was made by the head of the Health Division of the Chisinau Municipal Hospital Mihai Moldovanu in a news conference, IPN reports.

Mihai Moldovanu said the results of the internal inquiry carried out at the Phthisiopneumology Hospital show the room disinfection norms weren’t respected and the beds in the hospital were placed too close to each other. The hospital’s administration also violated an order by the Ministry of Education under which the patients with tuberculosis were to be transferred to the hospital in Vorniceni, Straseni. As a result, it was decided that both of the phthisiopneumology sections of the hospital in Chisinau will be closed. Afterward, the authorities will decide whether to reopen such a section or not. If a section is reopened, the number of beds will be reduced by 80%. There were 80 beds in the two sections.

The head of the section where the rats were noticed, her assistant and other employees were also penalized. Mihai Moldovanu said the post of Director of the Phthisiopneumology Hospital will be held on an interim basis by the head of the phthisiopneumology section No. 1 Carmina Paladi, until a new director is selected at a contest.

The head of the Health Division added that Maria Cetulean, when being questioned by the commission of inquiry, said the medical institution didn’t have sufficient financial resources to perform the rat eradication works, but this is not true. The medical institutions get financing through the National Health Insurance Company and Maria Cetulean, as a hospital director, was to set the priorities that were to be financed. Maria Cetulean had headed the hospital for over 10 years.