(24 Aug 2010) SHOTLIST
1. Exterior of local hospital in Baicoi, 85 kilometres (52.8 miles) north of the capital Bucharest
2. EU flag near sign with name of the hospital
3. Sign showing directions inside hospital
4. People waiting in the corridors
5. Old weighing scale
6. Medical nurse and patient in corridor
7. Old radiator
8. Hand and stethoscope
9. Doctor checking the patient
10. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Adrian Roncea, doctor:
"We work in difficult conditions, the basic instrument is the stethoscope, our intuition and knowledge, and we face lots of situations when we have to improvise and this makes us tired."
11. Old medical storage cupboard
12. Lock on cupboard
13. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Adrian Roncea, doctor:
"We live here in between West and East. For hundreds of years bribes have been very common, but we cannot say it's the same in the medical field. Here the patients are offering presents as recognition for the medical treatment and if somebody doesn't take the gift that is many times more offensive for the patient. But of course this is not ok, we have to give up this habit. The patient has to come to the hospital to receive all the adequate treatments and when he leaves a simple 'thank you' should be more than enough."
14. Radiology sign on door
15. Doctor in front of X-Ray desk
16. Hands on buttons
17. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Sorete Liviu, head of the hospital Union:
"We have no money for medicines and equipments, for patients' food or other necessities; we live at "minimum minimorum."
18. Rusty water basin
19. Laboratory glass
20. Various of laboratory doctor analyzing blood samples
21. Cutaway of hands
22. Old laboratory equipment
STORYLINE
Romania's hospital system is on the ropes, lacking basic equipment and suffering from a dire shortage of staff and a catastrophic lack of hygiene.
An August 16 fire that broke out in an intensive care unit killing five premature babies and leaving six others in critical condition is the most recent incident that has hit a health sector more reminiscent of a developing nation than an EU member country.
Romania's hospitals were a nightmare under communism which ended in 1989.
But more than two decades after communist rule was toppled and almost four years after it joined the EU, Romania remains one of Europe's poorest countries, and the sorry state of its hospitals reflects that status.
In a revelation sure to add to the controversy, the Bucharest Mayor told reporters on Monday that only three of Bucharest's 21 hospitals have a fire alarm system.
It was unclear whether any have sprinkler systems, but Giulesti hospital, one of the capital's best, where the tragedy occurred, did not.
A massive shortage of medical staff, bribes to doctors and nurses to ensure better treatment, and chronic underfunding or high debts run by hospitals are everyday obstacles that patients need to negotiate.
Supply shortages mean that operations sometimes do not get performed if patients do not supply their own bandages, syringes, surgical thread and antibiotics.
In recession-battered Romania, the government in 2009 spent just 3.7 percent of national GDP, or euro 4 billion (b), (5 billion (b) US dollars) on health. That is less than half in percentage terms of the European Union average.
And over 90 percent of those interviewed by the Association for Implementing Democracy this year in Romania, said corruption in the health system was a critical issue which directly impacts the patients.
It's mostly a matter of money - or lack of it.
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