Health Minister, Alexandru Rogobete, stated that hospitals will not be closed in Romania, but he pointed out that there are far too many continuous hospitalization beds in hospitals and that some of them will be converted into day hospitalization beds.
When asked on Tuesday evening on Medika TV about a possible 20% reduction in the number of hospital beds, Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete stated that this is provided for in the government program, but it does not mean that hospitals will be closed.
"This has been a heavily debated topic lately. I would like to clarify first and foremost what this point in the government program means. First and foremost, and most importantly, hospitals will not be closed.
Reducing the number of beds by up to 20% by the end of 2030, as provided for in the government program, does not in any way mean the closure of hospitals. It means their reorganization according to the medical service needs of a specific community," Rogobete declared.
- Health Minister prepares sanctions for doctors: First, they must do their job in the public sector for eight hours, then they can go to the private sector
- Health Minister: There are employees with higher incomes than mine. They will be the first affected by the cutting of bonuses
According to him, "there are many healthcare units with a low occupancy rate of continuous hospitalization beds."
"Let's clarify a bit. The number of continuous hospitalization beds in Romania is, first and foremost, the highest in Europe per 100,000 inhabitants," explained the Health Minister.
Rogobete states that there are far too many continuous hospitalization beds in hospitals, and some of them can be converted into day hospitalization beds.
"Our intention is not for these beds to disappear but to convert them to the type of medical service they offer, such as palliative care, beds for chronic patients, beds for medical recovery. That is, a significant percentage of them will be transformed into day hospitalization beds.
Meaning those surgical interventions where the patient goes to the hospital in the morning, receives medical services, colonoscopy, gastroscopy, or other surgical interventions, even chemotherapy, and then is discharged home in the evening. Of course, when someone says that the number of beds is being reduced, the first interpretation is that hospitals will be closed. Under no circumstances. I repeat, hospitals will not be closed," stated Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete.