Liliana DUMITRACHE, UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST, Romania
Mariana NAE, UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST, Romania
Meeting population health care needs at sustainable cost is representing one of the principles of Universal Health Coverage. Strengthening Primary Healthcare is representing one of the strategic directions found on the WHO regional agenda. The need for efficient primary care is rising rapidly in both, high-income and low-income countries, as the populations and diseases that can be most effectively managed by primary care are increasing worldwide. Numerous studies demonstrated that healthcare systems configured around primary care produce healthier populations at lower costs. The recognition of the role of primary health care as a cornerstone of the health systems has led, in many countries, to various attempts to integrate or to reform primary health care delivery. However, in the context of low-income settings with weak health systems, delays in reforming primary health care, inequities and inefficiencies in health care delivery at the primary level are still affecting the entire population. Geographic conditions, economic or social inequalities create also disparities in healthcare access. Many regions remain underserved while rural population from remote areas creates an added demand for healthcare.
This paper identifies current issues and causes of health system inefficiencies in a former socialist country, after numerous attempts to transform a hospital-based health system, inherited from the socialist period, into a more performing one, based on primary health care. Romania has achieved progress in improving its health system but still faces several challenges. The standard of healthcare in Romania is well below than in other EU countries, due to a combination of systemic failures and chronic under-funding; structural reforms in health care to enhance the efficiency, quality and accessibility of the system, especially for the disadvantaged remote and isolated communities are still needed
Mots clés : Universal Health Coverage|Healthcare System|Primary Healthcare|Romania
A104065LD