Offices at the Ministry of Health were searched on Wednesday morning in connection with the investigation into specialist doctor certificates that were allegedly issued fraudulently, announced Minister of Health Alexandru Rogobete.

‘The complaint was filed in 2024. It concerns an investigation by the General Prosecutor’s Office regarding certain specialist doctor certificates issued in falsified form. We are talking about twelve individuals who supposedly completed their residency training in the Republic of Moldova, even though they were employed in Romania and, in fact, may not have undertaken these training stages. The investigation is ongoing. (…) The offices at the Ministry of Health where these searches are being carried out have been sealed, and of course I have submitted and will continue to submit to the General Prosecutor’s Office all the documents requested to support the investigation,’ said the minister.

Alexandru Rogobete said that if any employees of the Ministry of Health are found guilty, their employment contracts will be terminated.

‘If those from the Ministry of Health are found guilty, I will be the first to terminate their contracts and remove them from their management positions,’ the minister added.

In his view, a person who has not completed residency training poses a danger to patients’ lives.

‘A person without residency training or without medical training who practises medical activity not only can but certainly does endanger people’s and patients’ lives. The main problem concerns the recognition of specialisations from outside the European area, because those who complete residency or training stages in EU member states are verified in an electronic register that operates at the EU level, where we can check all stages as well as the diplomas or certificates issued. The problem arises when documents or recognition files come from outside the European area, where unfortunately there are currently no administrative mechanisms like those we have within the EU to verify the authenticity and validity of these documents,’ explained Alexandru Rogobete.

He also said that every year, the Ministry of Health receives recognition files coming ‘mainly’ from the Republic of Moldova.

‘Each year, we receive a number of files from this area, especially from the Republic of Moldova, but not exclusively, for recognition. Some of them are approved because the documents are valid and comply with the rules, including for residents who complete their studies outside the European area,’ the minister said. AGERPRES