Premium
A Romanian medical team made up of doctors and nurses are joining today Italian colleagues to support them in the fight against the novel coronavirus.
On World Health Day, Romanian doctors and nurses departed on a C-27J Spartan aircraft of the Romanian Air Force on Bucharest - Timisoara - Milan route, in solidarity with Italy's healthcare staff.
Maria Casuni, a nurse of Targu Mures and one of the members of the medical team who left Bucharest, says that she has taken on this "special mission" because she adores her job.
"Our mission is to support colleagues in Italy, who are definitely exhausted and need help. My family knows that I do not love my job, I adore it, they are happy that I have taken on this special mission and sure I'll be back home safely," she said before leaving.
The boarding of the medical team on Tuesday was attended by Prime Minister Ludovic Orban, Interior Minister Marcel Vela, Defence Minister Nicolae Ciuca, Health Minister Nelu Tataru, head of the Emergency Management Department Raed Arafat, and Italy's Ambassador to Romania Marco Giungi.
"This gesture shows that there is European solidarity and that EU countries are able to come together and find solutions to fend off any danger, such as the ongoing epidemic," said PM Orban.
Head of the Emergency Management Department Arafat underlined the importance of European solidarity at this time.
"First of all, it shows that civil protection works in Romania, and also at European level. It is an important gesture that we have found people to leave on such a short notice. This sign is very important at European level, and to us, Romania, it is a gesture that shows that we can and is a gesture of solidarity with Italy, which is an area now very much afflicted. It is a display of extraordinary cooperation between the Ministry of Defence, the medical side, and the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations," said Arafat.
The military aircraft took off from Otopeni Air Base 90 with four doctors and nurses on board. In Timisoara, another 10 members of the medical team boarded, accompanied by a liaison officer from the Inspectorate General for Emergency Situations.
The Romanian medical staff, selected on a voluntary basis, will operate in Milan for 14 days under the aegis of the Civil Protection Mechanism of the European Union, in support of the Italian healthcare system as part of measures to combat the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic. AGERPRES
