June 9, 2026
This is the first time Romania has had a program funded by the European Union dedicated exclusively to health. It is called the Health Program and covers the period 2021–2027, with implementation continuing through December 2029. This marks a significant shift in approach: whereas in previous periods investments in health were divided among regional or human capital programs, all health-related interventions funded under the Cohesion Policy are now consolidated into a single, separately managed program. The program is a multi-fund program, financed by the ERDF and the ESF+, and the version officially published on the MIPE website today is Amendment No. 5, dated March 2026.
The program got off to a slow and belated start. This is not surprising. On the one hand, during the early years there was immense pressure to implement investments under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR)—Health Component, which consumed time, resources, and administrative attention. On the other hand, as a new program, it required a longer period for institutional consolidation. Officially, the Health Program was approved by the European Commission on November 30, 2022, and the first calls for proposals did not actually begin to appear until late 2023.
How much money is there, actually?
The program has an allocation of 3.13 billion euros from European funds and corresponding national co-financing—this is the reference figure listed on the official MIPE website. In the consolidated budget, which also includes the loan component from the European Investment Bank (EIB) for strategic investments in hospital infrastructure, the total amount exceeds 5.8 billion euros. It is worth noting that both figures appear in official documents, and the difference stems from whether or not the EIB loan is included. But beyond the differences in reporting, the practical conclusion remains the same: this is the most significant healthcare financing instrument Romania has ever had.
For 2026, the tentative schedule published by MIPE lists 22 separate calls for proposals, with a total value of approximately 1.25 billion euros. I would like to emphasize, however, that this schedule is indicative—it is very useful for guidance and preparation, but should not be interpreted as a firm commitment to launch on the dates listed in the table.
Where, exactly, does this money go?
The short answer: the funds go toward infrastructure as well as services, digitization, screening, training, research, and interventions focused on critical areas such as oncology and transplantation. The program is structured around priorities—there were initially 7, but that number has since grown to 10—and simply reading through them reveals a great deal about the program’s strategic direction.
Priority 1 focuses on primary care, community care, outpatient care, and prevention. This includes investments in family medicine practices, school and dental clinics, mobile units, screening clinics, as well as staff training and the expansion of preventive services. It is one of the most relevant priorities because it shifts the focus closer to the patient—and, ideally, earlier in their care journey.
Priority 2 covers rehabilitation, palliative care, and hospitalizations for chronic diseases. This is a very important priority in a system where rehabilitation and palliative care are still underdeveloped and distributed very unevenly across the country. The program targets both infrastructure and improving the accessibility and effectiveness of these services.
Priority 3 focuses on the resilience of the healthcare system in critical areas with cross-cutting impact: critically ill patients, stroke, multiple trauma, critical care cardiology, severe burns, reference laboratories, microbiology, public health, the national blood transfusion system, rare diseases, and staff training.
Priority 4 focuses on investments in hospital infrastructure. This includes the three regional emergency hospitals (Cluj-Napoca, Craiova, Iași), new hospitals, and phased projects, including the seven civilian hospital projects transferred from the PNRR—with a dedicated allocation of approximately 589 million euros and a submission deadline of December 2026. This is the component that is most visible to the public, but also the most challenging in terms of implementation. That is precisely why the project’s maturity and administrative capacity are decisive.
Priority 5 supports innovative approaches in medical research. In this case, hospitals do not apply directly; instead, public research organizations do. Among the targeted projects is one proposed by the “Horia Hulubei” National Institute in Măgurele, which aims to use high-power lasers for advanced cancer research.
Priority 6 focuses on developing integrated e-health solutions at the national level, with the flagship project, the National Health Data Observatory (ONDS), whose guidelines underwent public consultation in April 2025. The real challenge here is not just the procurement of software; rather, we are talking about projects that will succeed in creating better data pathways, more well-supported clinical and managerial decisions, and more accessible services for patients.
Priority 7 explicitly supports oncology and transplantation. This includes investments in centers and institutes, laboratories, infrastructure and equipment for transplantation, HLA centers, multi-tissue banks, staff training, and public awareness campaigns. It is, without a doubt, one of the priorities with the greatest strategic impact in the entire program.
A key new feature of the latest version of the program is the introduction of Priorities 8, 9, and 10, which expand the program into an area much more closely aligned with the current European agenda.
Priority 8 addresses the shortage of labor and key skills in the health sector, with a focus on digital technologies, biotechnologies, and related services. In practice, this means that the Health Program no longer funds only infrastructure or systems, but also the people who need to be able to use them and build on them.
Priority 9 aligns the program with the STEP Platform’s focus on biotechnology and digital health technologies, targeting beneficiaries such as SMEs, large enterprises, research organizations, and public healthcare facilities. For the health-tech ecosystem, this is likely one of the program’s most exciting new developments.
Priority 10 supports investments in dual-use infrastructure for the two military hospitals included in the PNRR. It is an ERDF priority with a strategic rationale distinct from the rest of the program, rooted in the current European context regarding dual-use infrastructure and resilience. Even though it is not a priority relevant to all stakeholders in the system, it clearly shows that the program has begun to address broader themes at the intersection of health, security, and strategic infrastructure.
Not just large hospitals. Not just buildings.
The Health Program should not be viewed solely as a program for “large hospitals.” Yes, there are major investments, including in new infrastructure and strategic operations. But there is also a very clear focus on what happens before the patient arrives at the hospital—on the patient’s journey, on screening, on prevention, on integrated services, on palliative care, on long-term care, on tools and training for staff, and on digitization.
This is, in fact, one of the most significant shifts in perspective. Traditionally, when we talk about European funding for healthcare, the conversation immediately turns to buildings, equipment, and construction projects. This program goes a step further. It also seeks to fund smarter operation of the system: better access, shorter time to diagnosis, preventive care, higher-quality services, coordination across levels of care, and more efficient use of data and digital tools.
For infrastructure projects, the evaluator looks for investments that are strategically well-aligned, sufficiently mature, well-budgeted, and clearly implementable. As for the digitalization component, the mere presence of software is not enough. What matters is a component that is demonstrable, interoperable, and clinically or patient-beneficial. In other words, the infrastructure must be ready, and the digitalization must be integrated and useful. A solid project is one that goes beyond just buildings and equipment, but clearly demonstrates how the service will function after the investment, including through a credible digital component.
In the Health Program, eligibility is always determined on a call-by-call basis, and the application and evaluation criteria are very clearly defined in the Applicant’s Guide and its annexes. In addition, most infrastructure projects—construction and equipment—must include a digitalization component. From the structure of Priority 6, as well as from the broader logic of the program and the other priorities, it is clear that it is essential to be able to demonstrate several key elements: interoperability, clinical relevance, the use of standardized data, integration into the medical workflow, and measurable value in terms of access, quality, safety, or efficiency.
In some evaluation grids, points are awarded solely for the existence of an interoperable IT system. In others, the wording is broader: points are also awarded for digitization measures that enable the provision of information about medical services, such as online scheduling or access to medical test results.
At the same time, it is not just infrastructure and technology that matter, but also people’s ability to use them effectively. Training for medical and non-medical staff must keep pace with technological changes, and this area is already supported by several funding lines planned for 2026 under this program. Currently, two calls for proposals are open under Priority 8, with a combined allocation of over 114 million euros and a submission deadline in the summer of 2026. They aim both to train and update essential skills for medical and non-medical staff in the context of introducing or expanding the use of STEP technologies (i.e., digital and/or biotechnology), as well as to develop STEP-compatible skills for staff involved in strategic applied research interventions in genomics, vaccines, cancer treatment, and activities related to the coordination and performance of transplants.
What exactly does a public hospital need to know if it wants to implement this?
Beyond the overarching strategy, there are also a few essential practical considerations. Funding applications are submitted electronically via MySMIS2021, and the eligibility period for expenses runs through December 31, 2029, which provides a reasonable timeframe for implementation. The minimum documentation required varies by call for proposals, but generally involves a sufficiently developed project: technical and economic documentation, a procurement plan, a sustainability plan, and the approvals specified in the guidelines. For certain types of investments (such as oncology), an opportunity assessment from the Ministry of Health is also required.
The tentative call schedule and all funding guidelines are available on the website Ministry of Investments and European Projects (mfe.gov.ro), in the section dedicated to the Health Program.
Typically, launches are published centrally nationally on the MIPE website, rather than through separate regional windows for each region. Applications can only be submitted during the period when the call is open, and this window is usually relatively short—typically a few months. For this very reason, project preparation should not begin when the call is launched, but much earlier, based on the indicative calendar published by MIPE at the beginning of the year.
Another very important step is the period of public consultation. Before a funding line is officially launched, MIPE typically publishes the guidelines for consultation, which gives interested beneficiaries the opportunity to review the conditions, submit comments, and begin preparing their application. It is, in fact, one of the most useful stages for potential applicants, as it allows them to clarify the requirements early on and adjust their project before the call for proposals opens
A relevant example is the call for Investments in the public infrastructure of public healthcare facilities of national interest that diagnose and treat cancers in specific locations. For this call, the public consultation took place during the period January 21–February 12, 2026, and the final guidelines were subsequently published, with the submission deadline set for May 29, 2026. In practice, such deadlines may sometimes be extended, depending on the managing authority’s decision and the context of the call or the number of projects in preparation.
Irina Zugravu
Managing Partner, Vapro Romania
