There’s no reason for joy when one ends up in a hospital, much less if that hospital is delapidated. Unfortunately, this is how most hospitals in Moldova look: the buildings are old and in dire need of repair, the bathrooms are miserable, and the wards have walls with the paint coming off. The Rybnita hospital in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova was no exception.

Nicolae Palii, who comes from Rascov village on the left bank of the Nistru River, has health problems and is a frequent visitor. He recalls with dread how the hospital looked like until recently. “The walls were done in whitewash, the floor was footworn, the old windows were letting the cold air in, and there was no hot water,” says Nicolae. Recently, when he came to the hospital again, he couldn’t believe his eyes. “Now it’s so cosy, warm and clean. It has a modern bathroom, as one would expect of a hospital. It’s so lovely," he said.

This time, Nicolae came with his 77-year-old grandfather, Grigori Zavedia. “It feels like being in Europe,” says the elderly man. The two men think that it’s not only the medicine that helps people get well, but also the environment in which one is treated “I’m really impressed by the warm atmosphere,” said Nicolae Palii.

“Our admissions department is one of the best in the Transnistrian region and this is due to the financial support that we received. We have not been able to do any renovations for the past 30 years,” said Grigori Drapac, head of the hospital’s admissions department.

The reconstruction works for the Rybnita District Hospital were carried out with the financial support of the EU-UNDP Support to Confidence Building Measures Programme. About €163,000 was invested to renovate the buildings and equip them with the necessary furniture. Another €118,800 was used to purchase modern medical equipment. Ambassador Pirkka Tapiola, Head of the European Union’s Delegation to Moldova said:

“By financing the renovation of this building, as well as other projects to build confidence along the Nistru, the European Union is helping to bring people on both banks of the river closer together, with a view to solving their common problems and improving living standards. It is exactly for this reason that the European Union, together with its partners, supports a number of projects dealing with perinatal health and immunization on both sides of the Nistru. Already today, there are hundreds of women on the eastern side of the Nistru who can enjoy better and safer conditions for giving birth due to new sets of equipment offered under the Confidence Building Measures Programme."

Today, the admissions department provides care for an average of 50-60 patients per day. Among them are Serghei and Ecaterina Rusu from Zozuleni village. Ecaterina is a mother of three and remembers how the maternity department looked like before the renovation. “I’m so glad that this renovation happened. This is something I waited for 15 years,” she said.

“Investing in the health of mothers and children is a strategic intervention towards a prosperous and secure future for the people of Moldova. In partnership with the European Union, we are contributing to enhancing the quality of medical services provided to the people on both banks of the Nistru and improving their living standards,” said Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative to Moldova. 

Highlights

• Confidence between people on both banks of the Nistru River is enhanced through partnerships in the area of business development, civil society development, social infrastructure renovation, health care and environmental protection.
• Since April 2012, 97 partnerships between business people, civil society organizations and local authorities have been established. Nearly 120,000 people on both banks have improved their living conditions, 400 new jobs are being created and 750 young entrepreneurs have been trained to initiate a business.
• The Programme’s total budget amounts to EUR 10.6 million provided by the European Union (EUR 9.5 million) and UNDP (EUR 1.1 million).
• Over 600 women annually enjoy better care and safer delivery conditions due to equipment donation to the Ribnita Hospital’s maternity department.