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Romania could take over from Poland, in case of need, refugee patients from Ukraine, Secretary of State with the Ministry of Health Adriana Pistol told a press conference on Tuesday.
"We are in constant contact with our neighbouring countries, especially Poland, which has the largest number of refugees and, if necessary, we are ready to take over patients to be treated in Romania. Our partners in Poland will probably decide that a transfer is needed depending on the local organization. There are, according to what we have seen so far, a lot of cancer patients, especially children who need various types of care. Some of them have left Poland for other European countries. This mechanism works based on a permanent collaboration between the neighbouring states of Ukraine and under the coordination of the European Commission, and patients have the right to choose which country they will go to," the Secretary of State explained.
According to official data, 49 refugee patients from Ukraine are currently hospitalized in Romanian hospitals, most of them with chronic conditions.
"As for the number of ambulance calls, it is also around less than 100 requests per day. (...) We had a slight increase in the beginning of the week in the number of patients who reached the emergency units, somewhere around 180 - 200. After that, we saw a decrease again. Today, the latest figures point to 183 people having showed up for medical care at the emergency reception units, the vast majority of them coming themselves and not with an ambulance," Adriana Pistol said.
She recalled that the Ministry of Health has set up a "syndromic" surveillance system in the camps and locations where Ukrainian refugees are housed.
The Secretary of State informed that measles cases have been confirmed in Bacau and Satu Mare counties, although the vast majority have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Pistol invites the population to get their children vaccinated against measles.
There have been cases of diarrhea syndrome among refugees, the Secretary of State also said, Agerpres informs.
