The medical staff must be protected with priority by all means, in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic, President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday in the beginning of the video-conference with hospital managers, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban, Interior Minister Marcel Vela, Health Minister Victor Costache, National Defence Minister Nicolae Ciuca and Transport, Infrastructure and Communications Minister Lucian Bode.

"The international experience, but also the situations registered in our country show that the medical personnel is the most exposed to the infection with coronavirus, we should be aware of this aspect. As such, the medical staff - and I am talking about doctors, medical assistants, pharmacists, laboratory personnel, other medical personnel - who bear the brunt in this fight with coronavirus must be protected with priority, by all possible means! Through re-directing sanitary equipment and materials toward the doctors and medical assistants who fight in the front line and promptly provide them with an appropriate number of protection masks, protective suits, gloves, medical equipment and disinfectant substances. I know that in some hospitals, things are not clear yet, but I know, just as well, that through the care of the Government, at these hours, acquisitions are made, in order to support the personnel in the hospitals. And, in the meeting I had with the Prime Minister and the ministers this morning, we have discussed aspects and you will have all the material needed in a short while," Iohannis said.

He showed that through installing some areas of medical triage in all the medical assistance units, the flow of patients can be improved.

"The training of the medical personnel regarding the procedures to prevent the infection at hospitals level, I repeat, in order to prevent inadmissible situations as the ones we had these days in some hospitals in Romania, unfortunately. By ensuring a work schedule which can protect the medical personnel from the risk of appearing physical and mental exhaustion, you will be able to cope with this crisis until it is over. And it will be over and it will be up to us how many Romanians will be protected from this infection. Just as, it is up to us and the common people to isolate ourselves, to protect ourselves, to stay home, avoid contact with others and observe the hygiene measures recommended by doctors," Iohannis said.

According to the President, the Romanian medical system "has been suffering for years, due to the lack of profound reforms and budget earmarks which don't ensure a medical act of the highest quality for the citizen."

"We are now in a moment of major crisis, in which, to tell you the truth, we have to manage as well as possible with what we have. Fortunately, in Romania there are still doctors and pharmacists, medical staff, professionals who are 100% dedicated to saving lives. They are those who make extraordinary sacrifices in these moments, they are in the front line of the fight with this dangerous virus, leaving their families in order to be in the patients' service," Klaus Iohannis conveyed. AGERPRES (RO - author: Florentina Peia, editor: Claudia Stanescu; EN - author: Rodica State, editor: Adina Panaitescu)