Oana Gheorghiu explains why she accepted the proposal to lead the Health Ministry: “Romania’s healthcare system can no longer wait for miracles”

Interim Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu explained on Saturday evening why she accepted the proposal to become Health Minister in the government led by designated Prime Minister Siegfried Mureșan. She said the decision was not made for a temporary position or out of personal ambition, but followed 15 years of activity in civil society and direct involvement in projects dedicated to the healthcare system.

Gheorghiu said that, together with her colleagues, she had taken part in more than 30 projects to build, renovate and equip public hospitals. With the support of more than 350,000 donors and 8,000 companies, a 12,000-square-metre hospital was built, where more than 3,500 children were treated in its first year alone. She also mentioned the creation of sterile rooms, the renovation of pediatric oncology wards and the construction of modular intensive care hospitals during the pandemic.

“Romania’s healthcare system can no longer wait for miracles. It is time for us to make them happen,” Oana Gheorghiu said. She argued that hospitals must be properly built and managed, medical staff must be respected, and patients must be at the center of every decision.

Siegfried Mureșan submitted the government list and governing program to Parliament on Saturday. The ministers will next be questioned by the specialist committees, followed by parliamentary endorsements and the investiture vote in plenary.