Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Limited access to COVID vaccines for Europe's poor: the case of Moldova

Limited access to COVID vaccines for Europe's poor: the case of Moldova

Moldova will receive 20% of the country's total COVID-19 vaccine needs through the WHO's co-sponsored COVAX programme. But many more are needed and negotiations with manufacturers are proving to be difficult.

Inside Moldova’s biggest hospital, the medical staff are exhausted. Months of working on the frontline of COVID-19 have taken their toll. Doctor Ala Rusnac is one of these tired people. She works at the Intensive Care Unit in Chisinau's Central Republican Hospital, but she also has first-hand experience of being a patient.

She developed severe pneumonia after contracting COVID-19 and was out of work for a month. She was eventually vaccinated on March the 2nd, the first day vaccinations started in the country.Doctor Rusnac is one of the lucky few to have received the jab in Moldova, one of Europe’s poorest countries and she knows how important they are.

She tells us how aware she is "that the vaccine is the only way to get rid of the problems linked to COVID-19, to decrease the death rate, to decrease the number of patients with severe and very severe forms of COVID-19, and generally to keep people alive".

Doctor Ala Rusnac


She strongly believes that "vaccines are the only way out".

Dose shortages


So far Moldova has only received 36 000 doses, barely enough for 1% of its population of 2.6 million. This stock isn't enough to cover the country’s primary target: its 60 000 medical staff. Alexei Ceban, a coordinator from the National Vaccine Programme, tells us that a three-stage rollout is ready. However, the doses are not. He explains that to keep to their target of immunising 70% of their population, "we need to have more negotiations with manufacturers. But we are a small country, with a small size population; we are not as interesting for manufacturers as other countries".

The consequences of the lack of doses are dire, especially for the most fragile. We accompanied an NGO called Diaconia, which distributes lunch boxes to elderly and isolated populations, to a poor neighbourhood in Chisinau. The week we went there, the death rate had almost doubled compared to the previous week. Yet despite this, there's still no sign of more vaccines.

Father Andrian Agapi works with Diaconia. People trust him and priests in that area. They share their doubts and concerns with them. He tells us that "as the vaccination campaign has not yet arrived here, no one talks about it". For people there "vaccines are not part of their daily discussions" or indeed their daily lives.

A President fighting corruption


Moldova has a newly elected pro-EU President, Maia Sandu. We went to visit her at the Presidential Palace. She has managed to secure a donation of 200 000 doses from Romania. She has also got free access to 20% of Moldova's total vaccine needs from the World Health Organisation’s co-sponsored COVAX programme.


Authorities are continuing to negotiate the purchase of doses at preferential rates through this WHO programme and from manufacturers. However, financial issues, bureaucracy, distrust and alleged corruption are hampering these attempts.

Sandu tells us that "we see states which are in a better position, with stronger institutions, which are facing challenges. You can imagine how difficult it is for a state with weak institutions like Moldova". Fighting corruption in her country is on the top of her agenda and she hopes reforms will improve the vaccine situation. "We need to get rid of corrupt people who are trying to make money today even from the current situation", she adds.

Working abroad


If solutions are not found, the country is at risk of becoming increasingly isolated. Around a third of Moldova’s population works abroad, often on temporary contracts in countries like Germany and Romania. An ineffective vaccination campaign could mean they may no longer find this work.

Ala Tocarciuc is an independent health policies expert. She, herself, has worked abroad in countries, like Ukraine, Russia, Switzerland and Ireland. She tells us that "it is already clear that coming in and out of Moldova depends on vaccination. There are already a lot of questions about a Green Vaccination Passport and how this will influence mobility, as everything is interconnected". She firmly believes that the success of the global vaccination campaign will determine the success of Moldova's vaccine campaign and vice-versa.

Ala Tocarciuc


At the capital's central bus station, we see first hand the effect that reduced mobility is having on Moldova. The main travel agency used to have 10 buses leaving for Bucharest every day. The passengers were mostly temporary workers. Now there are only two scheduled services a day.

Eugeniu Galupa, the agency's manager tells us if he sells 10 tickets a day he's lucky.

The need for hope


But people can't get back to normal and move around freely until a vaccine solution is found. Over 4000 people have already died from the coronavirus in Moldova. It's a number that Anatolie Stefanet, the leader of a popular jazz band, knows all too well. He lost his wife, mother and several friends to the virus. Vaccines came too late for his loved ones, but he's hopeful that they can play a better role in the future.

The jazz band, Trigon, practising


He tells us that "human beings need to have hope in something". He knows that his personal tragedy has pushed him to feel this way, but he's convinced that vaccines can bring this hope. As he puts it, "vaccines will help us stay alive".

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×