Tiraspol, June 14. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. Moldova still does not let the equipment necessary to restore the work of a computed tomograph in the Pridnestrovian Republican Hospital for the Invalids of the Great Patriotic War. Chisinau continues to put forward political demands as a precondition for the passage of cargo, namely the transfer of our medical institution under Moldovan jurisdiction and control. Due to restrictive actions, privileged categories of patients are deprived of the possibility of accurate diagnosis and timely medical care.
Recall that this is not the first blow to the healthcare system of Pridnestrovie. Last year, Chisinau unilaterally limited the range and volumes of medicines imported to the PMR. Currently, Pridnestrovian pharmaceutical companies have the opportunity to import only those drugs that are included in the register of the Republic of Moldova. Moreover, permission documentation for the import of a particular batch of medicines into Pridnestrovie are issued only if specific medicines or their analogues are not available from Moldovan pharmaceutical importers. Thus, using the tools of administrative pressure and restrictions, Chisinau imposed on us enslaving terms for the import of medical products, which led to its rise in price in pharmacy chains, as well as to additional profits for the Moldovan pharmaceutical business at the expense of Pridnestrovian pensioners.
This year, the Moldovan authorities, apparently, decided to continue putting pressure on the PMR healthcare system by blocking the import of medical equipment, which was freely imported through the territory of the Republic of Moldova at the end of last year. It is also worth recalling that until 2022, the Moldovan side tried to take the most balanced position regarding medical issues, working on reconciliation of the Pridnestrovian and Moldovan registers.
In addition, during the pandemic the government of the Republic of Moldova, albeit with great difficulties, a long delay at checkpoints, nevertheless allowed medical cargo and medical equipment to pass to Pridnestrovie. The mechanics of decisions was different, including at the level of the government commission for emergencies. At present, Chisinau has taken an absolutely uncompromising position and, apparently, is not ready to take into account the needs of residents and patients in Pridnestrovie.
It is reasonable to ask the question: what exactly is behind the actions of Chisinau - a cold political calculation or someone's commercial interests in the pharmaceutical and medical industries? Most likely, both. The Moldovan authorities have never concealed the fact that any means are good in achieving political goals. Therefore, even such a social, humanitarian and sensitive area as medicine becomes a hostage to political ambitions.
There are also reasons to believe that the current tough position of Moldova in relation to medical imports to Pridnestrovie is explained, among other things, by the very close relationship between the current Moldovan authorities and certain representatives of the pharmaceutical business in the Republic of Moldova. In particular, we are talking about the well-known company Dita Estfarm (a subsidiary of Farmacia Familiei), which is one of the leading suppliers of medicines in the Republic of Moldova. It is important to note that, according to data from open sources, in 2021, during the election campaign for the early elections to the Parliament of Moldova, about 50 employees of the two above-mentioned companies transferred a total of several hundred thousand lei in the form of “donations” to the accounts of the ruling party “Action and solidarity".
According to Moldovan media, in 2022, Dita Estfarm won half of all state tenders for the purchase of medicines and medical equipment. Against this background, the symbiosis of interests of the Moldovan authorities and Moldovan business is clearly visible, which, using blackmail and pressure, impose their rules on Pridnestrovie in order to establish control over the medical services sector in the PMR and increase the profitability of the pharmaceutical companies of the Republic of Moldova.
It is no coincidence that after blocking the import of medical equipment, Moldovan officials began to threaten the Pridnestrovian importer with sanctions that would inevitably lead to its ousting from the market. Therefore, in order to import medical equipment in the future, the Ministry of Health of the PMR will have to turn to Moldovan suppliers, who are unlikely to want to participate in tender purchases and will impose their pricing policy.
If the problem of importing medicines and medical equipment to Pridnestrovie continues to worsen due to such destructive decisions by Chisinau, then the health care system of the republic is at risk of losing the opportunity not only to conduct high-precision medical diagnostics, but also fluorography and radiography.
It is obvious that the behavior of the Moldovan authorities has gone beyond good and evil. However, despite the absolutely cynical inhumane position of Chisinau, Western and European diplomats, tirelessly appealing to the human rights criterion, for some reason are in no hurry to pull the Moldovan authorities back and return them to prudence and respect for human rights.
Pavel Alexandrov
