The situation of hygiene conditions in Moldovan hospitals is not uniform and some hospitals are lacking sufficient number and adequate toilets, hot water and bathrooms for mothers and children, according to a report of World Health Organization, Health and Human Rights Journal.
The World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe used a set of tools to assess and improve the situation of children’s rights in 11 hospitals in Kyrgyzstan, 10 hospitals in Tajikistan, and 21 hospitals in Moldova, by applying a HRBA to health, taking as a reference the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Common gaps include the need to improve adolescent-friendly health services, the rights to privacy and play; and infrastructure and equipment.
According to the World Health Organization report on assessing the respect of children’s rights in hospital in the Republic of Moldova, the main related gap identified by the self-evaluation teams was that some of the national guidelines were not in line with the international ones and thus should be adjusted, based on evidence-based medicine.
The assessment of the respect of children’s rights in hospitals in Moldova was carried out upon recommendation by WHO/Europe with the aim to strengthen evidence and overall recommendations to the Ministry of Health on improving the quality of service for children in hospitals and, in particular, children’s and parents’/caregivers’ rights.
Participants in the three countries included hospital management, doctors and nurses, parents/caregivers, and 6- to 18-year-old children and adolescents. Doctors and nurses represented a variety of departments, including paediatrics, surgery, resuscitation, somatic, infectious diseases, endocrinology, and urology.
At the time of the assessment, Kyrgyzstan was the only country that had adopted, disseminated, and implemented a Charter on Children’s Rights in Hospital.
In Tajikistan, the limitations were insufficient room and the child’s age. Self-assessment teams in nine hospitals stated that parents/caregivers were allowed to stay with children during procedures, including anaesthesia induction in some hospitals.
According to the report of World Health Organization, parents/caregivers in Moldova were allowed to stay with the child during procedures, including anaesthesia induction in all hospitals. However, no feedback from children, adolescents, or parents was reported, which makes it difficult to assess whether this right was respected effectively.
All hospitals of Moldova demonstrate that all children have equal access to health services, based on non-discrimination principles, as well as, equal access to treatment. Additionally, all hospitals have approved and implemented a policy on nondiscrimination of the Roma population.
In 9 out of 21 hospitals, children are informed in private areas or in the doctor’s office, in 10 hospitals children are not always informed in private areas and in all hospitals, there is a limited possibility for children to stay in single or double rooms.
In Kyrgyzstan and Moldova, all participating hospitals provided free food for children. However, food was not available to children of all age groups. In all hospitals in both countries except one in Kyrgyzstan, a nutrition specialist planned the menu.
