Cohesion policy: better quality emergency care in rural Romania

The European Commission has approved an investment worth €47 million from the European Regional Development Fund to build and equip an emergency hospital in Cluj, Romania, which will serve the largely rural North West region. This project consists of nearly 850-bed hospital equipped with advanced technology to ensure better quality emergency care and access to life-saving medical services. The hospital will provide secondary and tertiary-level care, but also primary care and basic services such as general surgery and internal medicine. Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, commented: “Citizens’ better quality of life wherever they live is the top priority of EU Cohesion policy. By allowing all patients to be treated with adequate services, including those living in remote rural areas, this project contributes to leave no one’s health behind, which is especially important at time of a global pandemic.” The hospital will belong to a network of regional emergency hospitals intended to improve Romania’s health system and ensure a multidisciplinary approach for treating complex cases. Moreover, this project will increase access to healthcare for people living in rural or impoverished areas. It will help ensure early diagnosis and treatment and thereby help reduce death rate and long-term disabilities. Last but not least, as an attractive working environment for doctors and nurses, the hospital will also help counteract the brain drain of medical staff in the region. The project is expected to be operational as of 2026.