Romania's Marie Curie neonatal ICU crisis worsens amid staff shortage

The Romanian interim government approved a memorandum to organise competitions for 22 vacant nursing positions at the Marie Curie Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The measure is intended to reopen five NICU beds that were closed because of a lack of staff, but officials say it will not immediately resolve the chronic shortage of qualified personnel.

Two newborns have died while waiting for NICU admission – one from Constanța and another from Bacău – adding to a reported 150 deaths over six years among children on the hospital’s waiting list. NICU head Cătălin Cîrstovevan warned, “Vor mai muri copii” (more children will die) unless systemic changes are made.

Health minister Cseke Attila confirmed the broader nationwide staffing deficit, and union groups SANITAS and Sanitas have called for emergency legislation allowing hospitals to hire without a government memorandum. The unions announced a general strike of health‑care workers for 28 July, protesting the recent reduction of hospital beds (HG 360/2026) and other salary‑related reforms. The dispute is expected to affect hospitals across Romania.