Healthcare Decentralization: How Moldova's New Regional Hospitals Will Improve Accessibility for People with Disabilities

The Ministry of Health reported that construction of the Regional Hospital in Cahul is scheduled to be completed by July 2030, while a similar major medical facility in Balti is planned for completion by July 2032.

The total cost of these large-scale infrastructure projects is estimated at approximately EUR 220 million. These medical institutions will serve hundreds of thousands of citizens, offering comprehensive services including oncology, interventional procedures, and cardiac surgery. This is critically important for relieving pressure on capital clinics and decentralizing the healthcare system. Special attention should be paid to the current stage of project implementation, as this is when the foundation for future accessibility is being laid. For the hospital in Cahul, the feasibility study has already been developed, and consultant selection is currently underway to prepare international tender documentation and conduct design supervision. In Balti, proposals are being accepted until mid-November 2026 from teams tasked with updating the conceptual design to reflect current demographic conditions. This is the critical moment when organizations representing people with disabilities can and should state their requirements for the architectural and digital accessibility of future buildings, ensuring these standards become mandatory parts of the technical specifications. The goal stated by authorities-to reduce the need for patients from remote areas to travel to the capital for complex medical interventions-is extremely important for individuals with limited mobility. Long journeys in overcrowded transport, lack of accessible housing in Chisinau, and high associated costs often become insurmountable barriers to receiving timely care. New regional centers, equipped with modern diagnostic and therapeutic equipment, will be able to handle most complex cases, providing a continuous and logical patient pathway without unnecessary physical and emotional stress.