Stefan Voda maternity unit shut down amid local protest threats
The maternity ward in the town of Stefan Voda has been closed, with pregnant women now being redirected to the Causeni District Hospital, located 23 kilometers away. Health Minister Emil Ceban stated the measure was prompted by low patient volume.
The minister argued that operating an obstetrics and gynecology department becomes unsustainable without an adequate number of patients. Emil Ceban noted that similar issues affect five other district hospitals where reorganizations will take place. For instance, the maternity unit in Riscani will be dissolved after recording only 63 births last year.
"Looking at the situation over the past three years, Ștefan Vodă recorded 250, 204, and 201 births annually. That amounts to less than one birth per day, which is insufficient to ensure the safety of medical care and maintain the skills of the medical staff. This facility employs four doctors and a total of seven medical staff, and it is unable to cope. None of the medical staff will be laid off; we are talking about reorganization," the Health Minister emphasized.
Local residents of Stefan Voda have strongly criticized the healthcare authorities' decision and warned that they might resort to public protests.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
