Health in Moldova

Planned healthcare usually starts with registration at one medic de familie or one primary-care institution. Registration is free and normally completed the same day with Form 1-33/c and an identity document; a birth certificate may also be needed. People can choose a family doctor, although a provider near their home is usually more practical. The registration can be checked through EVO, Cabinet personal or SI statut AOAM. A change is normally allowed once a year, with exceptions such as moving, pregnancy registration or the closure of a practice. Appointments can be arranged by telephone, in person or online through the primary-care information system. The medic de familie provides prevention, initial assessment, treatment of common conditions and follow-up for chronic illness. When necessary, the doctor refers the patient to an outpatient specialist, laboratory or diagnostic service, a high-performance medical service, or a hospital. Planned hospital admission normally requires a referral. Emergency hospital care follows a separate pathway, and urgent prehospital assistance is available through 112 around the clock, free of charge and without an AOAM-status barrier. The emergency service responds from the place of an accident or illness. AOAM is financed through employment contributions or state-insured categories. Children under 18, pupils and students, pensioners, people with disabilities, pregnant patients, women who have given birth or are in the postpartum period, and mothers with a child under two are among the state-insured groups. Foreign nationals with permanent residence, international protection or an employment contract generally receive the same AOAM rights. People with temporary protection use a separate CNAM-financed pathway, whose current service volumes should be checked. In 2026, the fixed individual AOAM premium is MDL 12,636, while the payroll contribution is 9%; an individual payment is normally due by 31 March. Service coverage and payment rules should be checked against the current CNAM catalogue and the provider contract. The Compania Națională de Asigurări în Medicină (CNAM) finances AOAM services, contracts providers and manages the status of covered people and medicines. Public and private providers can deliver AOAM-financed care when they hold a CNAM contract. Patients may choose a contracted provider for high-performance medical services. Service availability differs between cities, raions and rural areas because staff, diagnostic equipment and transport are unevenly distributed. The Transnistrian region should not be assumed to use the same provider and access network; the current local pathway must be verified. Only medicines authorised by the Agenția Medicamentului și Dispozitivelor Medicale (AMDM) may be placed on the Moldovan market. Prescription medicines require a prescription. Compensated medicines and medical devices are issued through e-Rețeta, the electronic prescription system, at a contracted pharmacy using identification. Around 170 active ingredients are compensated fully or partly. The programme mainly covers insured people registered with a family doctor, while uninsured people may qualify for selected serious conditions such as cancer, diabetes, epilepsy and mental disorders. Children, pregnant patients and people with chronic conditions receive priority under the relevant programmes. Typical prescription periods are 15 days for acute treatment, 60 days for chronic treatment and 30 days for psychotropic medicines; a patient contribution may still apply. Prevention includes an annual examination for adults and surveillance according to age and condition for children and pregnant patients. The 2023–2027 national immunisation programme covers 15 vaccine-preventable diseases. The schedule includes hepatitis B at birth, neonatal BCG, childhood polio, rotavirus, Haemophilus influenzae type b, pneumococcal and DTP vaccines, as well as measles, mumps and rubella vaccination. HPV, seasonal influenza, COVID-19 and rabies vaccination depend on the applicable indication and current programme arrangements. Cervical screening is organised nationally, with HPV as the primary screening method piloted since 2025. In 2026, breast-cancer screening is being conducted in Chișinău, Bălți, Ungheni, Nisporeni, Călărași, Căușeni and Fălești. Colorectal screening uses iFOB/FIT testing distributed through primary-care territories, with a focus around ages 50 to 55; invitations and availability vary locally. Perinatal care is free within the Programul unic, Moldova's defined package of publicly financed health services. Antenatal care normally combines the medic de familie and an obstetrician-gynaecologist, with risk assessment, prevention and coordination; at least nine antenatal visits are recommended. A pregnant patient may choose a maternity institution with a CNAM contract nationwide, except when an emergency or a medically required higher-level perinatal centre determines another arrangement. Community mental-health centres, called Centre Comunitare de Sănătate Mintală (CCSM), provide multidisciplinary care through psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, social workers, speech therapists and physiotherapists. They treat mental and behavioural disorders close to the community, with particular attention to moderate and severe conditions. Psychiatric emergencies require 112 or an urgent service. Family doctors and specialist services also coordinate care for mental-health conditions. The Agenția Națională pentru Sănătate Publică (ANSP) coordinates public-health, epidemic and immunisation surveillance through territorial centres. National programmes cover tuberculosis prevention, early detection, rapid diagnostics and free treatment, including community-based care for drug-resistant tuberculosis. HIV, sexually transmitted infections and hepatitis B, C and D are managed through testing and treatment pathways involving primary care, specialised centres and national programmes. After treatment, follow-up may continue with the medic de familie or a specialist. Chronic-condition monitoring, e-Rețeta, community and home medical care, geriatric care, rehabilitation and physiotherapy support recovery or long-term management. Palliative care is available at home or in an inpatient setting within the Programul unic and can include medical, psychological and social support. Free services have been reported at centres in Chișinău and Orhei; a planned 26-place hospice project in 2026 is not yet a national hospice network. Patients have the right to choose a family doctor and a contracted high-performance medical provider, and to receive information about AOAM-financed service volume and quality. Feedback can be submitted through Vocea pacientului. Complaints or petitions can be sent electronically or by post to the Ministry of Health; the usual response period is 30 days, with a possible extension of up to 15 days. Non-urgent care requires registration and appointment, referrals should be followed where required, appointments should be attended or cancelled, and the legally required AOAM contribution must be paid when applicable. Using a provider without the required CNAM contract can change whether planned care is covered.