Romanian hospital uses ‘pull the rope’ elevator to transport patients

The Municipal Hospital in Sighișoara, a city in central Romania, uses 123-year-old elevators to transport patients, Stirileprotv.ro reported.

The elevators, which use a manually-operated rope system, are used only in emergency cases. An employee of the hospital pulls the ropes every time the use of the elevator is required. Three such elevators are still in use.

The management of the hospital says it is planning to replace the elevators. The building of the hospital is a patrimony one, and special permits are needed for repair works.

The elevators date back to 1896, when the building of the hospital was erected.

One surgeon working with the hospital told Stirileprotv.ro that no incidents involving the elevators were recorded so far. “Technically, it is a jewel. Without this elevator, our activity in this building would have been impossible.”

Seven health ministers have seen and used the elevators. No solutions for their replacement have been found yet. A first project was drafted four years ago but it brought no results. The issue was reopened six months ago.

“We want to start the process as soon as possible. The new elevators are important both for the medical staff and for our patients because it is a two-level building and it is difficult to transport patients,” Tanaszi Sarolta, the manager of the hospital, told Stirileprotv.ro.

The new elevators should be purchased by the City Hall, which says it has been preparing the investment for a long time. “We hope to have this time companies participating in the auction and executing the work,” Sighişoara mayor Ovidiu Mălâncrăvean said.

After their replacement, the authorities are planning to donate one of the elevators to the local history museum, and preserve the remaining two in the hospital.

(Photo: Spital Municipal Sighisoara Facebook Page)