Partnership for training health specialists and supporting vulnerable communities

"Nicolae Testemitanu" State University of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Republic of Moldova and the Swiss Red Cross have signed a collaboration agreement aimed at training students, resident doctors and pharmacists, and healthcare practitioners to promote evidence-based decisions, facilitate access to medical services for vulnerable groups, and improve quality management in healthcare. 

The agreement was signed by First Vice-Rector Olga Cernetchi, Vice-Rector for Teaching and Academic Management at "Nicolae Testemitanu" State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, and Viorel Gorceag, Country Representative of the Swiss Red Cross. Based on it, the parties will develop joint projects that include: evaluating the university curriculum at all levels of training, in priority areas such as surgery, family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, hygiene, infectious diseases, dentistry, pharmacy, philosophy and bioethics, mental health and others; strengthening the curricula by adjusting and developing updated educational tools; training students, master's students and medical and pharmaceutical staff in areas such as patient rights, health communication and evidence-based decision-making, as well as providing methodological, technical and/or financial support for the implementation of the planned activities. 

The First Vice-Rector specified that in recent years, curricula and programs had been constantly revised in the context of their alignment with European standards and included the phrase regarding the particularities of people with special needs, and national clinical protocols – the compartments dedicated to their care and approach. "Today we can state with satisfaction that our programs fully comply with European directives," pointed out Professor Olga Cernetchi. 

For his part, Viorel Gorceag emphasized the importance of this partnership, as being particularly valuable, because it ensures continuity: "We want a fair and accessible health system for all. We focus on patients and on involving them in the decision-making process, so that everyone's voice is heard. Another important element of the project is integrity in health, a component that is found on the agenda of activities to strengthen the integrity of medical institutions." 

The partnership is carried out under the project "Moldova: Equity in Health through Social Accountability II" (2024–2027), implemented by the Swiss Red Cross in collaboration with the "HOMECARE" Association and the "CASMED" Association, with the financial support of the Swiss Government.