Integrated Community Care in Moldova – From National Consensus to International Recognition

In the Republic of Moldova, the Ministries of Health and Labour are jointly advancing the improvement of chronic, patient-centered care through intersectoral collaboration and integrated community-based care.

On April 9, 2025, in Chișinău, during the “Workshop on Improving Outcomes in Chronic Care,” representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the National Agency for Public Health, and the National Health Insurance Company affirmed their support for scaling up Integrated Community Care (ICC).

The event took place in the context of significant public health challenges: a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases (83.4%), mortality rates exceeding EU averages, life expectancy more than 10 years below the European average, and an urgent need for coordinated systemic interventions across the health and social sectors.

The national forum brought together domestic and international partners – including the WHO Country Office in Moldova, the World Bank, and the Swiss Cooperation Office. The workshop focused on identifying concrete solutions to improve access to quality medical and social services for people living with chronic conditions and social vulnerabilities, through enhanced intersectoral collaboration within an ICC framework.

Participants reviewed progress made under the Moldovan-Swiss project “Healthy Life: Reducing the Burden of NCDs,” implemented by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH). Between 2019 and 2024, the project piloted the ICC model in 69 localities across 32 districts and 2 municipalities. The pilot tested early risk identification, joint case management, data sharing, and continuous intersectoral monitoring in real-world settings.

The workshop emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation between national and local public authorities, health and social protection systems, and development partners, in order to ensure more equitable, accessible, and effective services.

International Experience Tailored for Moldova

As part of the program, international integrated care experts – Assoc. Prof. K. Viktoria Stein, PhD, and Mandy Andrew, RN – shared leading European practices.

Integrated Community Care was presented as a viable and necessary approach given Moldova’s current demographic and epidemiological context. This model calls for coordinated medical and social interventions at the community level, with the active involvement of professionals from both sectors, to directly benefit individuals and families.

Discussions highlighted the importance of a coherent regulatory framework, digitalized processes, continuous professional development, and sustainable, predictable funding – all essential for the effective delivery of ICC services.

International Validation at ICIC25

From May 12-16, 2025, Moldova’s piloting of ICC was presented at the International Conference on Integrated Care (ICIC25) in Lisbon. The country’s efforts to build a community-centered chronic care system – tailored to local realities – were showcased in both plenary and workshop sessions and received positive recognition.

The results of the Medical Care Quality Assessment Study – conducted by the project in all 35 districts – were highlighted. The study involved 90 primary healthcare institutions, 35 Social Assistance and Family Protection Divisions, and 70 interviews with community nurses and beneficiaries.

Key findings included:

• improved understanding of shared terminology among professionals;
• greater clarity of roles and responsibilities within multidisciplinary teams;
• formal inclusion of intersectoral cooperation in job descriptions;
• and shared workspaces equipped for integrated service delivery.

These results further reinforce the political commitment of both ministries to jointly advance the concept of ICC to respond to the real needs of Moldova’s population.

Integrated Community Care remains a strategic pillar in the implementation of Moldova’s National Health Strategy 2030 and broader social reforms, aiming to improve quality of life for people in vulnerable situations.