Romania

Country profile

Romania is a unitary semi-presidential republic in southeast Europe. It is ninth largest country of the European Union by area, and has the seventh largest population of the European Union with 20.2 million people. Following independence in 1989 Romania began it's transition towards democracy and a capitalist market economy.

After a decade of post-revolution economic problems, extensive reforms fostered economic recovery making Romania now an upper middle-income country with high human development. Romania has considerable natural resources – oil, natural gas, coal, iron, copper and bauxite. Metal-working, petrochemicals and mechanical engineering are the main industries.

The Romanian healthcare system is funded by the National Health Care Insurance Fund (CNAS in Romanian). All employers and employees with the age of 18 and older make monthly contributions.
Romania joined the European Union on January 1, 2007

Policy responses

The issue of health inequalities are currently high on the political agenda within Romania. The overall Romanian policy response is mainly driven at a national level. The policies are designed at the national level, and then applied at the regional and local level. Almost all policies addressing health issues are still under the direct responsibility of the Ministry of Health, though awareness of health issues is being raised amongst other sectors as a result of dialogue among different ministries encouraged by the establishment of inter-ministries committees, which foster cross-governmental collaboration.

An overview of policy responses addressing health inequalities in can be found in our Policy Database.

Good practices

Key actors

Please find below an overview of key actors in Romania working on health inequality issues:

• Ministerul Sanatatii - Ministry of Health
  

• Institutul National de Sanatate Publica - National Institute of Public Health
  

• Casa Nationala de Asigurari de Sanatate - The National Health Insurance Fund. The main financing institution of health providers in Romania
   

Are you aware of any other key actors that should be added to this list? 
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Key resources

Please find below an overview of relevant documents addressing health inequality issues in Romania. Further publications can be found in our Publications Database.

• Monitorizarea Inegalitatilor in starea de sanatate a populatiei in Romania in anul 2004 - Inequalities Monitoring of the Population Health Status in Romania. This synthesis, coordinated by the Center for Public Health Sibiu, outlines problems and inequalities in health in the Romanian population, allowing to prioritize them.

• Un sistem sanitar centrat pe Nevoile cetateanului - A health system centred on citizen. A report by the Presidential Commission for Public Health Policy Analysis and Elaboration.

• Planul National de Dezvoltare 2007 - 2013 - The National Development Plan: NDP 2007-2013. Is the document for strategic and financial planning approved by the Government and developed into a broad partnership, which will guide the socio-economic development of Romania under the EU Cohesion Policy
   

Are you aware of any other key resources that should be added to this list?
Please let us know!