Only one  in five persons who need home health care services benefit from these, while their geographical distribution is nonuniform. The subject was discussed in the meeting of the working group for improving equitable access to home health care services. The group ascertained that the number of older persons with chronic diseases has increased, while the level of public financing for home care services is very low and covers only 1.4% of the necessities, IPN reports, quoting a press release of the Ministry of Health.

Secretary of state Zinaida Bezverhni said that following the constant aging of the population and the rise in the number of persons with severe chronic diseases, the role of carers increases evidently. A mechanism for collecting data about persons who need home care services from primary medical assistance institutions and municipal and district social assistance and family protection divisions needs to be instituted. A mechanism is also needed for establishing the number of visits in accordance with the needs of the patient, especially for persons confined to bed, solitary older persons and other disadvantaged categories.

The functionary asked the working group to come up with solutions for contracting home health care service providers so as to ensure geographic access to these services in all the country’s localities and to select a scenario for financing home care services from the mandatory health insurance funds so as to increase beneficiaries’ access.

The working group consists of specialists of the Ministry of Health, the National Health Insurance Company, “Nicolae Testemițanu” State University of Medicine and Pharmacy and NGOs working in the field.