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
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
×