A strategic memorandum for the Implementation of the National Strategy for Combating Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases

Romania is taking a decisive step in the fight against cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, the leading causes of death and disability in the country. Top professionals, representatives of authorities, and international partners—supported by the Embassies of Switzerland and Belgium— agreed on drafting a collaboration memorandum to fight against diseases aimed at supporting the implementation of the National Strategy for Combating Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, aligned with the European Cardiovascular Health Plan.

Drafting this memorandum was one of the conclusions of a debate organized by the Ambassador of Switzerland to Romania, H. E. Massimo Baggi, and the Ambassador of Belgium, H. E. John Cornet d’Elzius, on June 2^nd, 2025, and attended by the Minister of Health, Prof. Alexandru Rafila, the President of the Neurology Commission of the Ministry of Health, Prof. Dafin Mureșanu and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ștefan Busnatu, Vice-Rector for the Development of Information Infrastructure, Digitalization, and Innovative Technologies, ”Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

The discussions, moderated by the Vice-President of the Swiss-Romanian Chamber of Commerce, Frank Loeffler, who is also General Manager of Roche Romania, started from the premise that successfully combating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases requires sustained collaboration from decision-makers, professionals, and patients. This collaboration must also be based on good practices from other countries such as Switzerland and Belgium to reduce risk factors, increase access to diagnosis and treatment, and place medical education and patient involvement at the center of attention.

A strong focus was placed during the discussions on Romania’s alignment with the European Cardiovascular Health Plan, adopted in December 2024, which aims to reduce premature and preventable deaths from cardiovascular diseases by one-third by 2030. The main directions are prevention, early diagnosis, and equitable access to high-quality treatments.

All the participants emphasized the importance of professional collaboration and adopting measures inspired by successful examples from other countries, adapted to the realities of the Romanian healthcare system.

The debates were organized with the support of the Healthcare Working Group within our Chamber of Commerce Switzerland-Romania, which is dedicated to enhancing the quality and efficiency of healthcare services through collaboration among industry stakeholders. Comprising healthcare professionals, administrators, and policy experts, this group focuses on addressing key challenges, sharing best practices, and promoting innovative solutions that improve patient outcomes and healthcare delivery systems. This Working Group includes representatives from: Roche Romania, Novartis Pharma Services Romania, Swixx Biopharma, Medical Simulator Projects, Hamilton Central Europe, Zimmer Biomet, Ewopharma, AI Clinical Research, and MERIC (Medical Education Research and Innovation Centre).