A new psychiatric hospital, which cost over 26 million lei (5 million euros) and was inaugurated in the Arad locality of Căpâlnaş (Romania) in July 2023, has not been opened.
There are two causes:
- Budget restrictions that have blocked the necessary hirings and arrangements
- A 25-year-old transformer installed by the company that carried out the works
The Court of Accounts requested explanations as to why the new medical unit was not operationalized. The management of Căpâlnaş Psychiatric Hospital responded that, after the building's inauguration, several issues were encountered. One of them refers to the fact that in 2023 hirings for vacant positions were suspended by the Government.
Additionally, the setup of the laundry room and other spaces necessary for the unit's operation was blocked by the provisions of Emergency Ordinance 90/2023 regarding procurement measures for inventory items and consultancy. According to the ordinance, credit authorizers of public authorities and institutions could not enter into legal commitments for certain categories of expenses.
"Fiscal-budgetary legislative restrictions in the second half of 2023 made it impossible to both supplement the existing staff structure and increase the staff positions with additional personnel suitable for the new functions, as well as to incur additional operating expenses that would have been generated by the actual relocation (including those related to the supply of electricity)," the response to the Court of Accounts states.
Criminal complaint for a transformer
Furthermore, the Communication Director of Arad County Council, Andrei Ando, stated that the legislative issues that delayed the hospital's opening have been overcome in the recent period, but a major technical problem remains, related to a quarter-century-old transformer installed by the company that executed the works on the new building.
"The reason for the electrical energy-related issues is that the current transformer installed at the Psychiatric Hospital is not the one specified in the building's execution documentation. This transformer is oversized and is 25 years old (its normal operating period is established by legislation and is 20 - 24 years), which consequently generates very high costs. At this moment, there is a criminal complaint against the company that installed the transformer. This company has committed to taking steps to replace the transformer," Ando stated.
He added that resolving the transformer issue is necessary to conclude a contract with the electricity supplier.
"At this moment, we are faced with the choice: to have the existing transformer inspected and connected, to wait for the transformer to be replaced, or to purchase a new one and then recover the damages," explained Andrei Ando.
Council representatives claim that the electricity issue will be resolved in the coming weeks, and the hospital could become operational this winter.
On July 21, 2023, the inauguration of the hospital took place in the presence of the Romanian Minister of Development, Adrian-Ioan Veştea, who stated that he was "impressed by the conditions created in this unit built from scratch."
"What we see today are conditions that should be emulated by all county authorities and the healthcare system in Romania," the minister said at the time.
The new hospital cost over 26 million lei, has a total area of 5,385 square meters, with a basement, ground floor, and upper floor. It has 75 patient beds and a courtyard for recreational activities. The unit will provide continuous medical care and assistance, as well as occupational therapy programs.
The works started in 2019, and the funding was provided through the National Local Development Program and the county budget.
"The old Căpâlnaş Psychiatric Hospital, from where we will move the patients here, operates in a building constructed between 1876-1879, namely the Mocioni-Teleki Castle. The building was only designated as a hospital in 1979, and we paid rent to occupy the building. This investment was necessary not only because we were paying rent in the old space but also due to the increase in the incidence of mental disorders," stated the President of Arad County Council, Iustin Cionca, at the inauguration.
