Crises at 'Marie Curie': Dozens of children await ICU beds, one kept alive by external breathing

The neonatal intensive care unit at Bucharest's Marie Curie Hospital is facing a critical staff shortage, forcing the temporary closure of five beds. This reduction in capacity puts the lives of the most vulnerable infants at risk, as they depend on complex treatments and continuous monitoring. The unit, which previously had 27 beds, now operates with only 22.

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This little child doesn't have a lung, and we've had him on extracorporeal respiration for two weeks.

Seven nurses have recently left the unit, with some resigning and others taking medical or parental leave. Dr. Cătălin Cîrstoveanu, head of the ICU, stressed that such a department requires a constant balance of human resources. He described the immense pressure on the remaining staff, noting that in many critical cases, one nurse must attend to a single patient. He shared a harrowing example of an infant with only one lung, kept alive for two weeks on extracorporeal respiration.

Doctors report that at least ten newborns with severe conditions requiring intensive care are consistently on the waiting list. Many of these patients come from outside Bucharest, and delays in transfer can have dramatic consequences. One mother recounted how her premature baby's necessary cardiac intervention was postponed due to the lack of available beds.

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We are exhausted. One nurse should be assigned to one intubated patient.

The hospital's management is unable to fill vacant positions due to budgetary restrictions imposed by a 2025 emergency ordinance limiting public sector hiring. This situation contributes to a national deficit of approximately 30,000 medical professionals, according to the SANITAS Federation. The union has announced a warning strike across over 500 hospitals and may initiate a general strike by the end of the month.

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They transferred us from Craiova, but it was delayed due to the lack of beds, and other complications arose.