Strengthening Romania’s Capacity to Manage and Respond to Natural Catastrophic Events

December 4^th, 2005

Mr. Minister,
Mr. Director,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to be here today and participate to the opening ceremony marking the completion of the works for seismic retrofitting and refurbishment of this important medical institution. 

Romania is among the European countries most exposed to multiple natural hazards, such as earthquakes, floods, and landslides.  This is why the Romanian authorities decided to take preventive actions, like seismic retrofitting of public buildings including hospitals, universities and public administration facilities, before a major earthquake strikes.  This is a new and innovative approach, the first in Romania but also in the region; and the World Bank is particularly proud to be associated with this project, and provide financial support to its implementation through a USD 150 million loan to the Government of Romania.

I am doubly proud since, together with Minister Borbely and his team, this is the third public building and the second hospital, seismically retrofitted, for which we are celebrating the completion of works in less than a month.  This is the result of a lot of hard work over the last few years, and I want to extend my special thanks and words of appreciation to Minister Borbely and his team, and to the management of the hospital for their support. 

The project is about strengthening Romania’s capacity to manage and respond to natural catastrophic events.  In deciding which public buildings to make earthquake-proof, special attention was given to emergency hospitals, military and civilian, since they would have such an important role to play in responding and recovering from a natural disaster.  The Military Emergency hospital of Galati is particularly important since it will belong to the network of NATO emergency hospitals which are expected to remain operational both during and after a catastrophic event so that they can provide safe shelter to existing patients, but also to casualties from Galati and surroundings.  I hope that the works undertaken in this building will provide you and your patients with more confidence in the safety of the building, as well as better conditions for delivering medical care services.

Let me conclude by congratulating and thanking everyone involved in the completion of this task, and wish most success to the nurses, doctors and administrative staff of this hospital.

Thank you.