PM Orban: Health minister has taken measures to strengthen public health directorates

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said on Wednesday that the health minister has taken measures to strengthen the public health directorates and to carry out epidemiological investigations "as fast as possible."

"I have attended an operative meeting of the Ministry of Health. Obviously, the minister took measures to strengthen the public health directorates and to carry out epidemiological investigations as fast as possible. For example, we mobilised human resources, we adopted the government decision on Monday to increase by 1,000 the number of positions at the public health directorates precisely to ensure redeployment, the hiring without the usual procedures for the hiring of civil servants, so as to strengthen the capacity of the public health directorates. We are mobilising staff wherever possible," Orban told Antena 3 private broadcaster on Wednesday responding to whether or not the government is considering a new epidemiological investigation in Suceava.

Regarding the situation at the University Emergency Hospital in Bucharest, where 17 doctors have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, Orban said that everything started from "the negligence of the former manager, who allowed admission and late diagnosis of some people."

"Basically, they violated the protocols, the triage mechanism of epidemiological investigation, immediate diagnosis, the isolation of suspected patients. We have kept in touch with the new director, Mr Carstoiu, who is doing his best," said Orban.

He also urged Romanians to be confident.