The health system in Romania was marked this year by a series of scandals, some even unprecedented. This is the case of the surgeon from Târgu Jiu who refused to operate on a child, and he died, but also that of the doctors from the Pantelimon Hospital who would have deliberately stopped the treatment of patients in ATI.
A surgeon from Târgu Jiu refused to operate on a child, and he died. Archive
A scandal like a soap bubble
Two doctors from the Hospital of St. Pantelimon were accused in the summer of attempted murder, respectively qualified murder, but after their arrest they were later released. The prosecutors’ investigation began in April of this year, after a nurse reported to the director of medical care that no less than 17 deaths had occurred between April 4-7, in the Anesthesia and Intensive Care department. The nurse indicated as the cause the reduction of the dose of noradrenaline, a drug that supports the blood pressure of patients in ATI, a decision taken by two doctors. Three investigations were launched in this regard: one administrative, within the hospital, one by the Control Body of the Minister of Health and one by the College of Doctors. Prosecutors also followed up their investigations. The doctors were taken for questioning, arrested, and then released. The reason? The magistrates from the Bucharest Court of Appeal stated in the justification for the release that there is not enough evidence to support that the two defendants would have committed the crime of aggravated murder – some statements of the witnesses being “mere gossip”. The scandal, however, was one of huge proportions and led to the resignation of the hospital management.
Something extra in Health
Doctors who are not paediatricians, but treat minor patients in emergency situations, will no longer be liable for any damages and injuries caused in the exercise of the profession when they act in good faith. We are talking about a regulation provided by an Emergency Ordinance proposed by the Ministry of Health and published in the Official Gazette. The decision comes after the tragedy at the County Hospital in Târgu Jiu, where a 16-year-old child lost his life after the surgeon on duty refused to operate on him.
Specifically, in September of this year, an Emergency Ordinance entered into force according to which doctors who are not paediatricians are allowed to intervene in the case of minors, in situations that would put the children’s lives at risk. However, the law did not make any reference to the situations in which, following the respective medical act, the patient would have suffered or, worse, would have died. Obviously, there were few doctors who took such risks. However, following the tragedy that took place at the Târgu Jiu hospital, the Ministry of Health returned to the law and amended it. All in the hope that it will encourage adult doctors to intervene themselves and stop waiting for help from pediatricians.
The “Give Life” hospital has opened its doors
The hospital built at “Marie Curie” by the Dăruiește Viață association, with the support of over 350,000 donors and 8,000 companies, began operating in 2024 and took over in April the children hospitalized in the oncology, neurosurgery, surgery and ATI wards from the old building of the medical unit. Dăruiște Viață will continue the project with the second building where it will create a medical campus, with the same treatment conditions for all children, regardless of the condition, as well as research and training spaces, accommodation for parents, etc. Initially conceived as a three-story clinic, the project turned into a Hospital with an area of 12,000 m2, 9 levels and +140 beds. In June 2018, the foundation of the Hospital was poured, and in November 2023, the first building, the thermal plant and an ozonation station were completed.
We are out of the measles epidemic
The measles epidemic that Romania faced since October last year “was solved”, but not by vaccination, said the Minister of Health, Alexandru Rafila, but by the illness of people not immunized by vaccination and who were receptive to the disease. About 20,000 people have fallen ill with measles since last fall, when the epidemic was declared, to date. Dozens of children died of measles because their parents refused to vaccinate them. Alexandru Rafila emphasized that medium-term measures are needed to regain parents’ trust in traditional vaccines.
Uninsured people benefit from certain settled medical services
Uninsured people can benefit from prevention, detection and confirmation services of oncological disease, settled by the social health insurance system. For that, however, he must go to the family doctor. The funds necessary for the settlement of medical services granted to uninsured persons are not provided from the contributions paid by the insured persons, but through a separate additional allocation from the state budget.
Discovery of the year
The development of the drug Lenacapavir, which prevents infection with the HIV virus, is the most important scientific discovery of 2024, a jury of the journal Science, which designates the “Discovery of the Year”, has determined. Clinical studies show that an injection of Lenacapavir administered every six months effectively protects against infection with this virus. In contrast, existing drugs used for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), such as Truvada, are in pill form and must be taken daily. The drug will be offered to people who face a high risk of HIV infection. In the European Union, Lenacapavir is approved as an antiviral treatment for certain patients who are already infected. It is not yet known whether it will be available in the European Union as a preventive measure.
