Romania will receive from South Korea a donation of medical and IT equipment worth about USD 8 million, health minister Alexandru Rafila announced on Monday, January 16. According to him, this comes in response to the donation of COVID-19 vaccines that Romania made to South Korea.

“In response to the support of the Romanian Government, the Government of the Republic of Korea found it appropriate to support us in developing the public health system in Romania. […] It’s a very complex donation in terms of content. It comprises equipment for the National Institute of Public Health and regional public health centers. […] We have discussed all the logistical elements so that this donation, worth about USD 8 million, can arrive in Romania starting from the middle of the year until November,” minister Rafila said at a press conference on Monday, according to News.ro.

The donation involves equipment for water control, control of tobacco and substances contained in tobacco, and surveillance and control of communicable diseases, which means diagnostic and sequencing equipment. They will go to Bucharest, Cluj, Iasi, Timisoara and Târgu Mureş, to the regional public health centers.

Health minister Rafila also said the equipment, much needed in Romania, is new.

“Yes, it’s new equipment, with the latest technology in the field, they are very complex. We have long been striving, for example, to have a complex system for analyzing tobacco and tobacco derivatives in terms of composition. Combating smoking and especially novel substances in tobacco products is a public health priority,” Alexandru Rafila explained.

Romania donated COVID-19 vaccines to South Korea in 2021. The following spring, the East Asian country made a donation of rapid COVID-19 tests to Romania.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/George Calin)