Moldova Health Ministry to Create Separate Treatment Path for Adolescents with Drug Addictions

The Moldovan Ministry of Health, led by Minister Alexandru Gasnaș, announced a new medical pathway dedicated to adolescents who are hospitalized with acute drug intoxication. The plan, to be drafted within two months, will be based on the National Drug and Addiction Strategy for 2026‑2032 and will shift emergency care to specialized centers that also treat stroke patients, allowing intensive monitoring. After stabilization, adolescents will receive detoxification and addiction treatment close to their communities, with follow‑up monitoring in Community Mental Health Centers staffed by addiction specialists. The ministry aims to lower recidivism by identifying causes of repeated drug‑related emergencies.

In the current year, the Institute of Mother and Child in Chișinău recorded 70 adolescent drug users, nearly half of whom required hospitalization, underscoring the growing need for age‑specific services.