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President Klaus Iohannis told Vlad Voiculescu, the newly sworn-in Health Minister, that serving in this office gives him the possibility to correct the systemic issues in the area.
"You now have the chance to get involved from the minister office and correct the systemic issues in healthcare," Iohannis said at the swearing-in ceremony of Vlad Voiculescu as Health Minister.
In his opinion, it is a paradox that this Government, which took over a very limited tenure, must fight a host "of problems, most of which date back long ago."
"Despite the tendency in the public space to throw the problems at this government, I believe it is both a good and a bad thing. It is a bad thing that brave enough people to take up this short mandate take the blame," Iohannis said.
The head of state assured the new minister he has his entire support and all the freedom to come up with public policies in the healthcare area, meant to definitely improve the system.
"You really have the chance to correct things. You will certainly not be able to correct all issues, but this political independence gives you a surprising freedom to engage and remedy the systemic issues others left unsolved because they were afraid of their own party and sometimes of the Opposition, and very rarely of the public opinion. You shall have all the freedom and my support to come up with public policies in this specific case, in the healthcare area, capable to definitely improve the system, in the end for the only purpose this system is worth functioning for - the people, so that the expression 'the patient at the core of the healthcare system' doesn't stay just a slogan, but turns into reality," Iohannis said.
He congratulated the new minister on "bravely" taking over the mandate.
"You are known to many because you got involved at some point in a matter related to Romania's healthcare system when many had lost hope. Back then you managed to solve an extremely complicated problem, with the cytostatic drugs, you gave back hope to many sick people, but most importantly you gave back hope to those who had faith all the time, but did not see how the system could be corrected," the head of state also said.
