'Matei Bals' Fire/Barna: There will be checks; most hospitals function below safety standard

Deputy Prime Minister Dan Barna on Friday said in Sibiu that the Department for Emergency Situations (DSU) is currently analyzing what measures should be taken in all hospitals in Romania, and checks will be carried out to avoid repeating such tragedies like the ones that has just happened at the "Matei Bals" Institute, where five patients infected with COVID-19 died in a fire.

"I've had discussions this morning with Vlad Voiculescu [Minister of Health - editor's note] and the Prime Minister. The Department for Emergency Situations is currently analyzing what measures should be taken in the coming days and weeks. No doubt there will be also such measures [controls in hospitals - editor's note]," said Deputy PM Dan Barna.

He claims that controls are required from all institutions that can guarantee the safety of those in hospitals, i.e. the inspectorates for emergency situations (ISU) or those from the Ministry of Health.

"There are controls either from ISU or from the Ministry of Health. This must continue. I do not know how long it continued after Piatra Neamt, because there was a promise back then too that such controls will be carried out. (...) This activity must be continued by the institutions that have this role," the Deputy PM explained.

Dan Barna said the cause of the fire at the hospital in Bucharest is not known yet, but that it is possible it was an accident, which imposes drastic measures, so that the rules are observed in all hospitals in Romania.

He is convinced that hospitals in Romania are not equipped with proper facilities not because of the lack of money, but because of the managers who did not do their job well.

The official noted the speed of the intervention teams at "Matei Bals", who managed to save over a hundred patients.