Ion ȘTEFANOVICI, President of CAPDR: “The death of the seven children in Iași is a consequence of corruption and institutional failure”

Public Statement Regarding the Tragedy at the „Sfânta Maria” Pediatric Hospital in Iași

First of all, to the parents and families who lost their children:

I extend, on my own behalf and on behalf of CAPDR, our full compassion and solidarity. No reform makes sense if it does not start from acknowledging your suffering and the state’s obligation to tell the truth, ensure justice, and change the way public hospitals are managed.

The death of the seven children at „Sfânta Maria” is not an isolated medical “accident,” but the result of an institutional failure directly under the responsibility of the Iași County Council – the authority that oversees the hospital, appoints managers, and has the legal obligation to ensure governance, procedures, and control. Public reports indicate non-compliance with protocols and delayed reporting, even in the ICU – exactly where the risk is highest. Under such conditions, asking parents for “trust” before real corrective measures is, at best, administrative cynicism.

Position of the Ministry of Health

The Minister of Health, Alexandru Rogobete, publicly announced that the Control Body’s report was sent to the General Prosecutor’s Office, indicated that the ICU approval was allegedly issued illegally, and described access to the ward as uncontrolled (“one could enter like at a train station”). In parallel, the Ministry clarified that the forensic expertise will establish the definitive causal link between the Serratia marcescens infection and the deaths. These findings confirm the seriousness of management deficiencies and procedural non-compliance at the unit and supervisory authority levels.

What I Demand from the Iași County Council Leadership – Immediate and Verifiable Measures

1. Public acknowledgment and presentation of the decision-making chain, with named responsible individuals and deadlines; full submission of documentation to criminal authorities.

Independent audit (PCI/IAS, healthcare management, procurement) within 15 days, with full publication of the report.

90-day remediation plan, with weekly milestones:

• revalidation of all PCI procedures in the ICU and operating blocks;
• clinical retracing for the affected cases;
• traceability of equipment and investments dedicated to infection control (including PNRR).

4. Transparency regime: daily public report on IAS, cultures, isolations, ICU capacity, standardized.

Support for families: legal and psychological assistance funded by the County Council; establishment of a support fund.

Reconfiguration of hospital leadership based on professional criteria, with mandates conditional on PCI indicators and audit results.

Support and Compensation for Families

• Immediate compensation: The Iași County Council, as the supervisory authority of the hospital, must establish a special compensation fund for the families of the deceased children. This fund must cover not only funeral costs but also moral and material damages, determined transparently and in dialogue with the families.
• Legal accountability: in parallel with the criminal and civil investigation, the County Council and hospital management must accept mediation and amicable resolution of compensation claims, without requiring parents to go through years of litigation to obtain justice.
• Long-term support: establishment of a psychological and social program for parents and surviving siblings, funded by the County Council and the Ministry of Health.
• National mechanism: this tragedy highlights the need for a national legislative framework for compensation of victims of nosocomial infections, with shared responsibility between hospitals, supervisory authorities, and the Ministry of Health.

Regional Proposals (Moldova)

• Regional PCI Group (epidemiologists, microbiologists, ICU specialists, management) with early alerts and mutual aid between hospitals.
• Public regional IAS registry, updated weekly, with common indicators and benchmarking between units.
• Annual crisis exercise (table-top + drill) in all county hospitals, with public reporting.

Responsibility of the Judiciary

We cannot ignore the fact that tragedies like this are the direct consequence of a corrupt and non-transparent system, tolerated for years. The Iași judiciary bears moral responsibility for delaying, blocking, or minimizing corruption cases involving both the leadership of the Iași County Council and the Iași City Hall.

The link between corruption and these events is evident:

• Masked procurement contracts that do not prioritize patient quality and safety but serve group interests;
• Political appointments to key positions based on patronage rather than professional criteria;
• Toleration of interest networks that paralyzed control mechanisms and compromised institutional integrity.

When corruption cases are dragged on, the message sent to the region is that impunity is the rule, and the result is now seen in the harshest way: innocent deaths, lost children.

I urge the courts and prosecutors in Iași to handle these cases with the urgency and seriousness they deserve. Without a definitive break from corruption and complicity, no plan, strategy, or reform will be able to save lives.