Association of cancer-afflicted persons in Romania organized a demonstration before the Health Ministry in Bucharest on Monday morning, protesting the authorities’ lack of support for them.
The protest drew the attention of international media as British newspaper The Independent comments in its online edition that the protest is rather different from the usual demonstrations related to political changes in Bucharest.
Romania is the first country in the European Union to have abandoned oncology as a medical specialization. And in April the rules on the distribution of cancer medication were changed, preventing thousands of patients from accessing the necessary treatment, The Independent notes.
According to official data, some 370,000 people have been diagnosed with cancer in Romania, but only 76,000 receive proper treatment as the budget for these people is limited to 336 million RON this year.
