Only 1% of healthcare funding goes towards prevention, despite everyone claiming it's a priority

Although representatives of the medical system constantly speak about the importance of prevention, the funds allocated to it remain negligible. According to the National Institute of Statistics, which tracks annually how healthcare funding is distributed, of the approximately 20 billion euros spent each year on healthcare in Romania, only 1% goes towards prevention — that is, towards the early detection of serious illnesses, which would allow for faster and less costly treatments.

Specifically, in 2024, the most recent year for which public data is available, the total expenditure of Romania's healthcare system — from hospitals to tests and medicines — exceeded the threshold of 100 billion RON (equivalent to 20 billion euros). Of this amount, only 1.1% was spent on prevention, equating to 1.2 billion RON.

By contrast, the largest share of funding went towards curative services — that is, treating illnesses that had already taken hold: nearly 60 billion RON, some 10 billion RON more than the previous year.

Although total healthcare expenditure has grown year on year, prevention has consistently lagged behind. Without dedicated national programmes and a clear pathway for patients, many people only see a doctor once their illness is already at an advanced stage, despite the fact that it could have been detected earlier through regular check-ups.