Five hospitals in Romania to get radiotherapy equipment under procurement contracts signed by gov't

The Constanta, Galati and Baia Mare county hospitals, the Bucharest Oncology Institute and the Elias Emergency University Hospital will get radiotherapy equipment, to treat cancer patients. 

On Thursday, the Government hosted the signing ceremony for the equipping of the five facilities with complete radiotherapy systems. The contracts were signed by Romanian Health Minister Florian Bodog and Jaroslaw Lange, a representative of Elekta Limited UK, the supplier of the medical equipment. 

Attending the ceremony at Victoria Palace, Deputy Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said that it is the first time Romania invests in radiotherapy. "These are five centres, three more currently in the bidding process will follow," Ciolacu said. 

Bodog said in his turn that the acquisition of these pieces of equipment continues a project with the World Bank. 

"At the beginning of my term, together with the finance minister of that time, I found a blocked World Bank programme at risk of losing funding. Together with the then finance minister, with the government team and with the current government team, the prime minister, the deputy prime minister and the finance minister we have accepted deadlines that we cannot miss and we have done so because we want to improve working conditions for healthcare professionals and also for our patients," Bodog said. 

He also thanked the managers of the five hospitals that will get the radiotherapy equipment. 

Finance Minister Ionut Misa said that under this project the Government is taking "a step forward" in fulfilling its promises. 

"There will be new acquisitions in the field of healthcare, as promised from the beginning (...). I am convinced that the healthcare system in Romania will improve increasingly more in the future on this path on which we have embarked," Misa said. 

Also attending the signing ceremony was Constanta County Council Chairman Horia Tutuianu, Galati County Council Chairman Costel Fotea, and Maramures County Council Chairman Gabriel Zetea. AGERPRES .