Buzău County Hospital faces severe staff health crisis

A report from the Health and Safety Commission for Buzău County Hospital shows that more than 500 employees were diagnosed with serious occupational illnesses in 2025, including musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, diabetes and hepatitis. The same study recorded a sharp rise in professional burnout and extended sick‑leave among doctors, nurses and other staff.

The hospital, Romania’s largest medical centre in the county, has appealed to the government for 103 new positions but only 33 were approved. The staffing shortfall has driven many workers into early retirement or transfer to lighter‑load units. Local officials, including Buzău County Council President Marcel Ciolacu, have criticised the interim government’s hiring policy. The situation comes as a nationwide general strike of medical personnel is set to begin on 28 July, affecting more than 400 hospitals across the country.