HealthMin Rafila, Italian counterpart Speranza sign memorandum of understanding, from public health emergencies to pandemic

Minister of Health Alexandru Rafila and his Italian counterpart, Roberto Speranza, signed, on Friday, in Rome, a memorandum of understanding that provides for the development of the collaboration relations in the field between Romania and Italy, from public healthcare emergencies, preparedness and response to managing the pandemic, Agerpres reports.

"During the meeting, the two ministers exchanged views on how to manage the pandemic in the two countries and expressed hope that in the coming months, economic and social life will return to normal provided that the health systems be prepared to respond to any challenges related to public health threats," shows a press release.

Minister Rafila's visit to Rome took place at the invitation of his Italian counterpart.

The signing of the memorandum was preceded by a working visit of the Romanian Minister to the "Higher Institute of Health", where the foundations of a collaboration with the National Institute of Public Health in Romania were laid.

"In the context of a rise in public health emergencies and the impact on economic and social life, the development of effective models of preparedness and intervention between the Member States of the European Union is essential. Collaboration is all the more important as there are over 1.2 million Romanian citizens in Italy," the release states.

According to the cited source, Minister Roberto Speranza appreciated Romania's aid by having sending a medical team to Lombardy, the area most affected by the pandemic. In his turn, the Romanian Minister of Health thanked for the support offered to the Romanian residents in Italy, as well as for the monoclonal antibodies sent for the Romanian patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

The Italian authorities also reconfirmed their commitments to provide medical care to children in Romania with oncological and cardiac diseases and to train Romanian specialists in the field of pediatric cardiovascular surgery.

The Romanian Minister invited his counterpart on an official visit to our country this year, so that the collaboration between the Higher Institute of Health and the National Institute of Public Health can be operationalised.