Keynote Speakers

When the WHO started figuring out if COVID’19 should be called a pandemic at the begging of 2020, Romania was still discussing plans for a National Outbreak Response Framework.

However, few weeks earlier, the lack of necessary protective equipment for medical staff who could be involved in the treatment of highly contagious patients, was identified by Romanian responsible stakeholders as a vulnerability at the national level. That was the moment of deciding on a series of political, financial, social, and administrative measures aimed to ensure proper management of the incoming epidemic crises. 

In the next 24 months the National Emergency Situations Committee (CNSU) was the responsible authority, at the national level, with the overall response. To prevent and combat the spread of the new coronavirus, Romanian authorities issued a series of presidential decrees, government ordinances, and decisions, but also orders and dispositions of the action commander – the head of the Department for Emergency Situations (DSU).

These measures, lead to a strengthened role of DSU as a key stakeholder in the management of crises in Romania. 

In addition to the limiting measures meant to ensure the prevention of the spread of the virus, these legal acts were the basis for the development of the emergency medical stocks as reserves for operational interventions for the protection of the population. 

The national response management was provided by the National Center for Coordination and Management of Intervention (CNCCI). Also, county centers for coordination and management of intervention were activated throughout the Romanian territory ensuring continuous information flow between the components of the National Emergency Management System.

At the same time, to demonstrate solidarity, Romania deployed medical teams in support to other countries, delivered in-kind assistance, and developed a medical stockpile under the rescEU (one of the tools developed under the umbrella of Union Civil Protection Mechanism).

Due to an aggressive fake news campaign that was promoted on social media and some news channels, the medical system in Romania was at its breaking point at the end of October 2021. This forced the Romanian authorities to seek assistance from other countries. Europe and the rest of the world were immediately united in action. We got further equipment and teams of practitioners with special skills who helped Romanian specialists when they were in the most need. Last but not least, we sent critically patients to hospitals in EU countries that were less affected by the crisis at the time.

Today, the National Outbreak Response Framework is the strategic planning document that is available to the members of the National Emergency Committee. It lays out how prevention and response measures will be put into place.

The Framework assumes that the following activities must be done to protect the lives and health of the population in the case of epidemics or an increased risk of epidemics:

• understanding the risks that communicable diseases pose to Romanian communities and society, as well as their potential to spread across borders and cause pandemics;
• make the population, government, and businesses more resilient;
• achieving accurate and timely public communication and information;
• establishing institutions in charge with decisions, coordination and monitoring  the epidemics, as well as their roles and responsibilities;
• use all resources (information, human, financial and equipment) efficiently, effectively and in accordance with citizens’ expectations.

Key words: Covid pandemic, Department for Emergency Situations, National Outbreak Response Framework, coordination, preparedness, response, international cooperation