Ministry of Health Shifts Funds Towards Emergency Services: Other Programmes Left Without Funding in December

The Ministry of Health has decided to redirect funds from several national health programmes to cover urgent expenditure on salaries and supplies at emergency departments (A&E units) and ambulance services. The financial situation facing the healthcare system was presented on Wednesday by interim minister Cseke Attila.

What was already reallocated in September

For September, the Ministry redistributed 21.5 million RON from the fourth quarter into the third quarter, earmarked for funding A&E units. A further 20 million RON was taken from the National Vaccination Programme and directed towards county ambulance services.

98 million RON needed for October

For October, the estimated additional requirement stands at 98 million RON, broken down as follows:

• 36 million RON for the salaries of A&E staff at hospitals under the Ministry of Health's authority;
• 20 million RON for medical supplies and other operational costs at these units;
• 30 million RON for supplies at A&E units in hospitals under local authority jurisdiction;
• 12 million RON for supplies for county ambulance services.

To cover part of this need, the Ministry will transfer 56 million RON from the HIV/AIDS, Blood Safety, Mother and Child Health, and Priority Actions programmes. According to the institution, these programmes will have no remaining funding in December. A further 42 million RON will be taken from funds allocated to resident doctors at hospitals under local authority jurisdiction and redirected towards ambulance services and A&E units.

"An emergency fix," says the minister

"This is an emergency fix that allows us to keep the system running in October, but it does not address the structural problem. When we move money from one area to meet an urgent need, a new funding gap appears. The problem does not go away — it simply shifts. That is why we need budgetary decisions and a sustainable solution for the entire system," said Cseke Attila.

The Ministry of Health estimates that the total financial requirement for national programmes and other expenditure through to the end of the year stands at approximately 980 million RON.

"Had we had a government with full powers, this need could today be significantly smaller. We could have unlocked 10% of the Reserve Fund — approximately 500 million RON — and had tangible resources available to intervene wherever they are needed," the minister added.

Cseke Attila also confirmed that financial resources are in place to continue medical services and surgical procedures at the "CC Iliescu" Emergency Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases, following a discussion held with the facility's manager.

The Ministry of Health states that the financial situation of the healthcare system is being continuously monitored and that further solutions to ensure funding through to the end of the year are actively being sought.