Crisis in the medical system: Thousands of HIV/AIDS patients risk running out of treatment
The Romanian healthcare system is facing a serious problem that puts the lives of thousands of people at risk. Patient representatives warn that approximately 16,000 people suffering from HIV/AIDS could soon be left without the medication necessary to control their disease.
Iulian Petre, executive director of the National Union of Organizations of Persons Affected by HIV/AIDS (UNOPA), has raised an alarm regarding the lack of antiretroviral treatment stocks. This situation is mainly caused by supply chain issues and administrative difficulties in procuring essential medicines for these patients.
For people diagnosed with HIV, interrupting treatment can have immediate and severe medical consequences. Antiretroviral drugs must be taken daily, without pause, to keep the virus under control and prevent the degradation of the immune system. Any interruption can lead to the virus developing resistance to treatment, making the disease much harder to manage in the long term.
Patient associations are calling on authorities at the Ministry of Health to intervene urgently to resolve the situation and ensure the continuity of supply. They emphasize that the right to health is guaranteed by law and that patients should not suffer due to organizational deficiencies or bureaucracy.
Currently, patients and infectious disease specialists are waiting for concrete measures from state institutions. It remains to be seen how the Ministry of Health will react in the coming days to prevent a humanitarian crisis among the people who depend on this treatment to survive.