The Ministry of Health, INMSS and WHO mark the completion of the “training of trainers” programme to improve health management skills through the PNNR. More than 120 trainers participated in the health management training programme organised by the Ministry of Health and the National Institute for Health Services Management (INMSS) in partnership with WHO. They were given access to the latest practices and methods in health management teaching through six modules run by 16 world-renowned professors. Representatives of the G6 (the group of Romanian universities of medicine and pharmacy) took part and support this programme.

On Thursday, 11 January 2024, the Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Health Services Management (INMSS) marked the “Completion of the training of trainers pathway and national launch of the health management training programme”. The event, organised with the support of the WHO Romania Office and the WHO Regional Office for Europe, marked the achievement of the crucial goal for health services management as part of the Health component of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP).

The training programme for target groups of health managers continues in 2024 and 2025, according to the plans set out by the Ministry of Health, INMSS and WHO.

“We had the chance to have an extremely good partnership with WHO, with three international universities, with the organization of Romanian universities of medicine and pharmacy, G6, and last but not least with INMSS. Together we will be able to have a successful project that will provide the Romanian health system with a qualified human resource in the management of health services”, said the Minister of Health, Prof. Univ. Dr. Alexandru Rafila.

“There must also be funding that corresponds to reality and gives managers enough freedom so that development projects do not remain just on paper. The ultimate goal of all these actions is to provide quality healthcare for patients,” he continued.

The Training of Trainers (ToT) programme was attended by 16 world-renowned professors in the field of health management, who offered their expertise in six meticulously designed modules. These modules covered key topics such as leadership and change management; ethics and integrity; innovation and digitisation; public health and health policy; innovative teaching methods; and the complexities of healthcare design and delivery.

“Representatives of the 6 medical universities, the INMSS and the institutions under the Ministry of Health had the opportunity to access the latest models and teaching practices for health service managers, so that Romania can start building tailor-made solutions that best meet the challenges in the field,” said Dr Caroline Clarinval, WHO Representative and Head of the WHO Office in Romania.

A group of around 120 trainers have participated in this intensive programme, where they are equipped with the latest knowledge in health management, ready to disseminate it to health facility managers, health professionals and students across the country.

The Training of Trainers (ToT) programme is part of the Romanian Ministry of Health’s plan to ensure continuous and advanced training of medical staff. Part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, it aims to train over 3,000 Romanian health managers by the end of 2025.

Through its role in providing technical assistance for the implementation of the NHRP, the World Health Organization (WHO) directly supports capacity building for health professionals by facilitating access to state-of-the-art information and to leading experts in the European health community.

Health administrators exert significant influence, impacting the lives of thousands of people through strategic leadership decisions. Health management, a multi-faceted discipline, involves critical decisions about resource allocation, patient care, medical research, policy development and more.

Developing the skills of health management professionals with state-of-the-art tools and practices is paramount for the evolution of the health system in Romania.

This strategic initiative aims to increase capacity, enabling the delivery of increasingly efficient and patient-centred health services to citizens, with a focus on modernising management practices.