When the state budget is amended the next time, expectedly in July-August, the possibility of increasing the salaries of healthcare workers will be considered, said Minister of Health Ala Nemerenco. According to her, the raise will be consistent and will be applied as from September 1 or October 1, 2023. The official assured that the Government will also increase the allowances of young specialists and will cover the travel expenses incurred by those who commute to districts, IPN reports.
The minister said that even if the salaries in the health system were raised the previous years, they remain demotivating against the long medical studies. A new pay raise is to be adopted this summer.
“We already calculated a pay raise for this year. The health insurance budget is to be adopted by amending the state budget, predictably in July-August. The funds need to be approved by Parliament and we hope that from autumn, from September 1 or October 1, the salaries will be raised. The figures are high. We should no longer play with small sums that are not felt by healthcare workers. The departure of professionals from the health system is related not only strictly to the salary, but also to the infrastructure in which the doctor goes to live, not only to the infrastructure in which this will work. A doctor will go to a village together with the family and children. The husband or the wife does not have what to do in that village. This is stress for the whole family,” Ala Nemerenco stated in the program “Public Space” on Radio Moldova.
The minister of health noted that not many doctors want to go and work in medical institutions in districts. To stimulate the process, the state will increase the allowances for young specialists and will cover the transport costs for those who commute.
“Each doctor from Chisinau who commutes to Orhei, Căușeni, localities around Chisinau has the travel expenses covered with the salary compensated. We did calculations for covering a distance of 70 km from the place of residence. We are negotiating these allowances with the Ministry of Finance. Also, the 120,000 lei that is paid to graduates who go to work in localities where the health system needs is provided in three installments during the first three years. We made effort for this money to be paid to them fully after the first six months. With this money, they can pay a loan, obtain a place to stay or purchase a car by which to commute. These allowances are also projected to be raised,” said Ala Nemerenco.
According to the National Public Health Agency, Moldova’s public medical institutions in 2022 were short of about 1,000 specialists. The shortage was the most serious in district hospitals. The health system chiefly needs family doctors, anesthesiologists and radiologist-imagists.
