HealthMin Costache criticizes chronic underfunding of health programmes

Health Minister Victor Costache said on Friday that the chronic underfunding of health programmes has led to a health system that is "in the red in all sectors".

"This chronic underfunding of health programmes and everything that medicine means in Romania has led us to where we are - a healthcare system that is in the red in all sectors, justified critical reports by the European Commission and we need to wake up, to stop cutting off our nose to spite our face. By underfunding medicine we will stay were we are and tread water," said the minister, in the debate titled "Together for a better experience of the infertile couple during assisted reproduction treatment".

Victor Costache said that the average cost allocated under the fertilization programme is much lower than in other countries.

"From the discussions with the specialists the correct cost is somewhere around 3,000 euros, the equivalent of 3,000 euros. Here the couple receives funding amounting to some 6,000 lei. The service must be financed in full. This is the practice. Fortunately, radiotherapy is a a successful model in Romania, where a service is fully funded. These models of good practice must be extended to other sectors, one is in vitro fertilization and all that means reproductive medicine," he said.

According to him, the demographic decline of the country is "major, worrisome".
"We have a real problem with couples' infertility and we have to get out of this situation," Costache said.

He also advocated the need for a national registry in this field.

Asked if he would get additional funding for the in vitro fertilization programme, Victor Costache said that the Health budget can support this, as halting the demographic decline is a "zero degree" priority of this Government.