Update: Prosecutors investigate doctors from the Republic of Moldova illegally practicing in Romania
Update: Investigations regarding specialist doctor certificates extended to the Ministry of Health officers on Wednesday morning, according to health minister Alexandru Rogobete.
“We are talking here about 12 people who supposedly completed residency training in the Republic of Moldova, even though these people were employed in Romania and in fact did not complete these training stages. The investigation is ongoing,” the minister stated, adding that several offices of the Ministry were sealed.
If found guilty, those in question will have their employment contracts terminated, the minister said, as practicing medicine without residency training endangers patients’ lives. The problem, however, comes from the vetting process for those outside the EU.
“Those who do residency or training stages in EU member countries are verified in an electronic registry that functions at the EU level, where we can check all the training stages, as well as the diplomas or certificates issued. The problem arises when documents or recognition files come from outside this area, as there are currently no administrative elements to correctly verify the validity and authenticity of these documents,” Alexandru Rogobete explained.
He also said that every year, the Ministry of Health receives recognition files coming “especially” from the Republic of Moldova.
Initial story: Prosecutors and police officers in Romania conducted 14 searches on Wednesday, November 5, in a case concerning fraud, forgery of official documents, computer forgery, and unauthorized practice of a profession or activity.
Specifically, prosecutors say several doctors from the Republic of Moldova who already practice in Romania did not actually complete their residency. Although they requested the equivalence of their studies from the “Nicolae Testemițanu” State University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Chișinău, prosecutors say many were already working during their studies.
“The investigation targets several doctors who requested the Ministry of Health to recognize their specialist doctor qualification titles obtained in the Republic of Moldova, at the ‘Nicolae Testemițanu’ State University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Chișinău, submitting for this purpose the corresponding specialist doctor diplomas certifying completion of the residency,” prosecutors specified.
Twelve individuals are to be brought in for questioning as part of the investigation, in Argeş, Cluj, Ilfov, Prahova, Satu Mare, Tulcea, Vrancea, and Bucharest.
The evidence gathered indicates that the residency studies, which required the mandatory physical presence of resident doctors at the university’s clinical bases, did not actually take place, as the resident doctors were in Romania, where they were employed full-time, during the specialization courses.
The qualification titles referred to various specialties, such as emergency medicine, orthodontics, plastic surgery, aesthetics and reconstructive microsurgery, imaging, dentoalveolar surgery, and periodontology.
The day before, Romanian police and prosecutors conducted more than 200 searches across the country as part of the larger Jupiter 4 operation. The searches concern offenses like fraud, forgery of documents, counterfeiting, tax evasion, embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, and abuse of office, among others.
(Photo source: Vlad Ispas | Dreamstime.com)
