​The Ministry of Health announced on Thursday that in recent weeks it has organized “corruption prevention measures for health care workers”. “Soliciting or offering money, things or other benefits for medical treatment is a criminal act,” the Ministry of Health emphasizes.

“In order to prevent corrupt actions and violations of professional ethics and integrity, specialists of the Service of Integrity and Public Policy of the Control Body of the Minister of Health have organized a number of events in recent weeks, during which the heads of units under the authority of the Ministry of Health, executive directors of district offices of public health, respectively, of the municipality of Bucharest and the heads of the public ambulance service,” said the press release of the institution headed by Alexandru Rafil.

What did these measures consist of? “During the meetings, information was presented on ways to prevent corruption, violations of professional ethics and integrity, reducing vulnerability and corruption risks. Topics aimed at increasing knowledge about the state of incompatibility and conflict of interests of personnel in the health care system were considered. Course participants must disseminate information among subordinates.”

The presentations were held with the support of representatives of the National Integrity Agency, the General Anti-Corruption Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Justice, as well as specialists from civil society and the business environment, the Ministry of Health notes.

“This is another problem that we all have to work on, related to the old way of thinking. These habits do not disappear suddenly, but can be gradually reduced through awareness and education. Patients should understand that they should not offer any material benefits to medical staff in order to receive the medical services they need,” said Health Minister Alexandru Rafila.

Measures to prevent corruption will be permanent, informational and educational sessions will also be organized for other categories of health care personnel, the Ministry of Health also clarifies, emphasizing that “demanding or offering money, goods or other benefits for medical treatment is a criminal act” .