OREANDA-NEWS. April 20, 2012. Prime Minister Vlad Filat today participated in the launch of a computerized tomography centre at the Orhei district hospital. The facility was constructed under a public-private partnership, according to the government's communication and press relations department.

This is the first real public-private partnership (PPP) launched in the health sector with regard to diagnosis via computerized tomography.

Attending the event were Health Minister Andrei Usatii, the director-general of the National Health Insurance Company, Mircea Buga, Orhei district head Ion Stefirta and the manager of the Euroclinic company, Tudor Ceaicovschi.

The goal of the PPP project "Computerized Tomography Centre" is to provide quality medical services by quickly establishing the diagnosis, starting the treatment at an early stage of the disease, monitoring the evolution of diseases and improving the skills of the medical staff.

The prime minister familiarized with working conditions at the centre, discussed with employees and patients, and visited a prenatal centre that is under restoration.

Vlad Filat asked the Health Ministry's leadership to assess in half a year the activity of the Orhei-based centre, the number of consulted patients and the degree of content with the provided services. At the same time, the prime minister stressed the need to build similar centres in other Moldovan settlements as well on the basis of this model.

"This is a successful example and a start of a new public-private partnership in Moldova. I would like to stress that on the basis of demands by the Orhei local authorities and Health Ministry, an enterprise invested in the reconstruction of this public building, and purchased the equipment needed. Hence, today in Orhei, people have the opportunity to undergo high-value investigations, and to get accurate diagnosis supplemented by analysis in Chisinau," Vlad Filat said.

The prime minister noted that a string of other projects are to be implemented in the health care sector in many Moldovan settlements.

For his part, Health Minister Andrei Usatii specified that directors of other Moldovan hospitals were invited to the official inauguration centre to take over experience. The minister emphasized that the patients will not pay for these medical examinations, as they will be insured within a CNAM programme, on the basis of their health insurance policies.

Euroclinic manager Tudor Ceaicovschi said the centre's staff was trained abroad, and the responsibility for the provided services lies with his company. At the same time, the Health Ministry has the task to check the centre's work.

The centre is equipped with computerized devices for tomography, mammograph and orthopantomography. The project was carried out under the leadership of the Health Ministry and the Economics Ministry's Public Property Agency during one year (15 April 2011 - 4 April 2012).

Euroclinic invested about 9 million lei in this project, of which about 2 million to overhaul the building and 6 million lei to buy medical equipment.