The operating permit of the Intensive Care Unit (ATI) at the “Sfânta Maria” Clinical Hospital in Iasi was issued illegally, and the irregularities discovered by the Ministry of Health are serious, Minister Alexandru Rogobete announced on Thursday. He publicly requested the dismissal of the medical director, as well as the head of the ATI department, who illegally occupies this position.
Minister Alexandru Rogobete PHOTO: gov.ro
The minister presented the conclusions of the investigations carried out following an outbreak of infections with the Serratia marcescens bacteria, which affected 9 children hospitalized in the ATI ward. Seven of them died. Investigations revealed that the hospital had not implemented any of the measures recommended in the 2024 Control Body report and major administrative and procedural failings were discovered.
Notice issued illegally and serious irregularities
“The operating permit for this unit was issued illegally. There are no sinks with hot and cold water in the Intensive Care Unit, according to the legal provisions, for washing the hands of the medical staff”, said Rogobete. “The ATI section received an opinion in 2025 following an assessment made by DSP Iași, but it was issued illegally.”
The control also revealed problems related to the medical staff. The head of the ATI section is not an academic, as the law requires, and the epidemiologist could not present documents certifying the passing of the professional exam.
“The interim chief physician of the ATI section is not a university member and it was not possible to prove how she was appointed”, explained the minister.
The State Sanitary Inspection found “serious deficiencies” in applying protocols to limit the spread of infections.
ATI section “as in the station”
“One enters the ATI ward like a train station. There is no filter for patients or relatives, there are no dedicated places for hand disinfectionnor appropriate protective equipment. The lack of sinks and HEPA filter protocols contributed to the rapid spread of the outbreak“, emphasized Rogobete.
The minister also stated that the hospital could not demonstrate which biocidal substances it uses for disinfection and that cleaning and disinfection procedures are not followed. “We are discussing serious irregularities in the application of national protocols“, he added.
The report will be sent to the Prosecutor’s Office
The report of the Control Body and the State Sanitary Inspection will be sent to the General Prosecutor’s Office for further verification. “Why no one reported until the moment of this control, the Prosecutor’s Office will bring these answers”said the minister.
According to Rogobete, in 2024 there were controls that identified irregularities, but none of the recommendations left then were implemented. “None of the measures left by the Control Body of the Minister of Health were applied to the “Sfânta Maria” Clinical Hospital in Iasi”concluded the minister.
Rogobete demands dismissals at the “St. Maria” Hospital in Iași
Minister Alexandru Rogobete categorized the situation at the ATI section as “a administrative and procedural chaos that I have not encountered in many hospitals”.
“We are discussing a serious violation of protocols and common sense. (…)I have requested the dismissal of the manager of this health unit, because I cannot dismiss him, as the hospital is not subordinate to the Ministry of Health. I saw that he returned to the position of medical director. I do not think we can play with management positions. I publicly request the resignation of this lady and from the position of medical director. I also request the dismissal from the position of head of ATI of the person illegally occupying this position”said the minister.
Minister of Health: Report nosocomial infections, they are not a crime!
Alexandru Rogobete appealed to all managers and department heads in health facilities to report all detected infections, stressing that only through correct reporting can they be controlled and prevented.
“I once again encourage all managers and department heads to report all infections they detect in their health facility, because only if they are properly reported can they be subsequently controlled and prevented.” said Rogobete.
The official also stated that the medical staff should not be afraid of reporting, stating that “reporting healthcare-associated infections is not a crime.”
The minister warned that covering up nosocomial infections endangers patients and affects public confidence in the health system: “Stop covering up nosocomial infections, stop hiding these infections when they occur (…) patients in the first place are put at risk, and the system takes on a shadow that cannot be controlled and lowers people’s confidence in the health system.”
We recall that laboratory analyzes performed at the “Sfânta Maria” Children’s Hospital confirmed the presence of Serratia Marcescens bacteria in the drain of a sink in the intensive care unit.
In the last three weeks, nine children hospitalized in ATI were diagnosed with Serratia marcescens infection, seven of whom died. The victims were of different ages, the youngest patient being a newborn a few days old, and the oldest being 12 years old.
Preliminary investigations showed that Saint Mary’s Hospital only reported the case of the first girl to the Directorate of Public Health (DSP), a week after the diagnosis, during which two other children became infected and one died. The institution reacted only four days later, the delay being criticized by parents and authorities.
