Young specialists in medicine and pharmacy from rural area to receive unique allowances in one installment

The state will grant young specialists, employed in public medical and sanitary institutions in districts and villages, the single allowances in one installment, after 6 months of activity. Previously, they were paid in three installments. 

The change in question will be possible because of amendments to the decision regarding the granting of facilities to young specialists with medical and pharmaceutical studies, approved on March 15 this year by the Government of the Republic of Moldova. 

Thus, after six months of activity, doctors and pharmacists will be paid the full allowance of 120 thousand lei, while medical assistants, midwives, pharmacist assistants, dental technicians, medical assistants in laboratory diagnosis - 96 thousand lei.

 "We need you, dear young specialists, to strengthen the capacity of the country’s medical institutions. Most importantly, the people of this country are waiting for you there. The Ministry of Health contributes daily to improve the infrastructure, to provide the regions with modern equipment, but you are the most important in this effort to change the system. I urge all young people - to love our country, its people, our people. They are us," Health Minister Ala Nemerenco pointed out on her Facebook page.

The purpose of the project initiated by the Ministry of Health is to motivate young specialists to work in the public medical and sanitary institutions located in rural areas. The allowances previously paid out in three installments were not sufficient to ensure adjusting conditions, as they did not cover travel, accommodation, and other necessities. The crisis of human resources in health is determined by the insufficiency and uneven geographical distribution of both doctors and pharmacists, as well as medical and pharmaceutical personnel with post-secondary professional technical education. Young specialists are mainly oriented towards the urban environment to the detriment of the rural one, which leads to a shortage of health professionals in rural localities.

 Currently, in some districts there is a lack of cardiologists, neonatologists, anesthesiologists-reanimatologists, oncologists, orthopedics-traumatologists, etc. At the same time, some district public medical and sanitary institutions face a shortage of medical personnel at the level of about 30%. There is an obvious discrepancy in the provision of the population with family doctors between the urban and rural sectors. Thus, the staffing rate for this specialty in the municipalities of Chisinau and Balti constitutes 6.l per 10 thousand inhabitants and 4.5, respectively, while in the districts it is 2.4 per 10 thousand inhabitants in Falesti and Cantemir; 2.8 in Sangerei and Ungheni; 2.9 in Hincesti, Soldanesti, Leova and Vulcanesti.

 The decision will enter into force on the date of publication in "Official Monitor" of the Republic of Moldova.