Chisinau, October 28 - Last week, a delegation formed by representatives of the Moldovan Sectoral Working Group on Health, led by the Ministry of Health with the participation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and its specialized agencies, National Health Insurance Company and United Nations Agencies, paid visit to the Republic of Lithuania for a 2-day study mission organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the Republic of Moldova, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO).

The study visit aimed at learning from Lithuanian’s best practices on the integration of migrants into the Moldovan health system and to ensure equitable access to medical services for vulnerable groups among migrants and refugees in the country. The program included meetings with Lithuania’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Health, and National Health Insurance Fund, as well as visits to closed-type placement centers. The study visits provided key insights into inclusive healthcare models that Moldova can adapt to enhance healthcare access for migrants and refugees in the Republic of Moldova. Moldovan officials from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Internal Affairs, National Health Insurance Company, WHO and IOM engaged in productive discussions with Lithuanian counterparts on healthcare service provision, regulatory frameworks, sustainable financing models and comprehensive care solutions that integrate diverse migrants’ needs.

On-site visits to the Migrant Accommodation Center in Vilnius and the Foreigners’ Registration Center in Pabradė offered Moldova’s representatives a closer look at service provision, while the IOM-run Migration Information Center highlighted Lithuania’s support for migrant integration through language training, legal counselling, and psychological services.

“The study visit to Lithuania marks a significant step in our commitment to enhancing access to health services for migrants and refugees in Moldova. By learning from Lithuania’s best practices, we aim to strengthen the Moldovan health system and ensure that foreigners, regardless of their status, receive the care and support they deserve. This collaboration demonstrates our shared responsibility to create an inclusive health system that leaves no one behind,” said Ester Ruiz de Azua, IOM Moldova’s Chief of Mission.

“We will continue to support sustainability and social inclusion, reinforcing our commitment to an inclusive and responsive health system that meets the needs of foreign nationals and all residents of the country”, mentioned Dr Miljana Grbic, WHO Representative to the Republic of Moldova.

“Discussions were held at expert level, exchanging best practices on legal framework, practical implementation, statistics and envisaged policies on integration issues. The Lithuanian side appreciated the efforts of the Republic of Moldova in managing the crisis caused by the Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine. In the context of the Chapter 24 Screening with the European Commission, the Republic of Moldova has set itself the objective of reviewing access to health services for certain categories of foreigners.  Respectively, Lithuania, as a country affected by the migration crisis, is a good example to be analyzed from the national perspective when setting future policies” said Tatiana Ciumaș, Deputy Head of the General Inspectorate for Migration.

The information gathered will serve as a basis for Moldova’s Sectoral Working Group on Health to shape policies and operationalize Moldova’s health system reforms for inclusiveness. The visit marked a valuable step toward a healthcare system in Moldova that ensures equitable and accessible services for all, including vulnerable migrant populations.

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For more information, please contact:

Riccardo Severi, Communications and Public Information Officer, IOM Moldova rseveri@iom.int