Moldova's health status markedly declined between 1990 and 2000. Life expectancy at birth is one of the lowest in Europe (68 years in 2003). Maternal and infant mortality rates have been relatively stable over the last 10 years but are still 3 to 5 times higher than the EU averages. In the late 1990s, the incidence of TB increased dramatically, especially in prisons. From the mid-1990's onward, HIV/AIDS prevalence increased by more than 25 times among the 15-49 age group, reaching 0.90 percent in 2003. Service-wise, the country was trying to maintain extensive facilities inherited from Soviet times on a meager budget. Resources were skewed toward large hospitals, which represented 70 percent of health spending.

Collaboration between the Moldovan government, NGOs, and supporting donors has contributed to stabilizing life expectancy, a decrease in maternal and infant mortality, and 70 percent decrease in mortality due to AIDS. Health sector reforms created a new minimum benefits package and improved rural access to health care.

Highlights:
- Maternal mortality has decreased to 18.6 per 100 thousand live births in 2005 (32 percent decrease)
- Infant mortality has decreased to 12 per 1000 live birth in 2005 (35 percent decrease)
- Implementation of health sector reforms, with changing health sector financing to social health insurance, optimizing health sector infrastructure, and defining a minimum package of health services offered by the Government free of charge: the benefit package has been available from 2004, and was gradually expanded during 2005-06
- All general practitioners were provided with portable kits; 84 percent of rural health centers were provided basic medical equipment; all district hospitals were provided emergency and operating theatre medical equipment; 75 ambulance cars were provided
- 22 percent of health centers (99 of total 431) were renovated (roofing, heating system, water supply, sewage)
- Training provided to 750 primary care doctors and 1500 nurses, as well as 300 health care managers
- Full coverage of pregnant women with screening for HIV, pregnant women diagnosed with HIV are covered with prophylactic treatment with anti-retroviral therapy and free milk formula for replacement feeding
- Decrease of transmission of HIV infection from mother to child by 76 percent from 6.7 percent to 1.6 percent in 2005
- Decrease of AIDS mortality due to availability of HAART treatment from 100 percent in 2002 to 29.7 percent in 2005
- Syphilis has decreased from 94.8 per 100 000 in 2002 to 69.5 in 2005

The initial IDA credit allowed the country to raise additional grant funding to prepare a strategy which became the basis for the implementation of the National AIDS Program, co-financed by IDA, the Global Fund to Fight Aids Tuberculosis and Malaria, Sweden, and other sources. Technical assistance was provided jointly with other donor and technical agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO).