Online medical consultations will soon be possible in the Republic of Moldova thanks to the “Digital inclusion for social and e-health services” pilot project that was launched on September 6, 2022. During the launch event for the project, a Statement of Partnership between Moldcell, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA Moldova) and the Future Technologies Activity funded by USAID and Sweden was signed to jointly carry out the pilot.
Moldcell, UNFPA Moldova and the Future Technologies Activity (FTA) funded by USAID and Sweden have announced about the launch of a pilot project named “Digital inclusion for social and e-health services.” The pilot will leverage Moldcell’s mobile and digital networks, as part of UNFPA’s successful project for digital integration of older people via inter-generational dialogue Digital abilities connect generations and FTA’s work with local and international stakeholders to integrate digital technologies across sectors and businesses.
The pilot project was launched at an official event dedicated to signing of the Statement of Partnership between the three organizations.
E-health is an emerging field at the intersection of IT, medical informatics, public health, and business. The increase in both supply of and demand for e-health and telehealth services was originally driven by the start of the COVID-19 pandemic; its rise has only continued, with the market size reaching $144 billion USD in 2020. The overall telehealth market is expected to reach $560 billion USD by 2027, a huge opportunity for Moldova to capitalize on in the coming years.
The launch event was attended by the project partners, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, the e-Government Center of Moldova, which will be critical allies for the initiative.
Aliona Crețu, Head of Demographic Policies Unit, Ministry of Labor and Social Protection:
“Informational Technologies play an important role in the economic and social development of our country, while the efficient usage of informational technologies by the population especially by older people is a success factor for a sustainable development and promotion of intergenerational dialogue. Technological progress offers reorganization of quite a number of services offered to the population while digitalization represents a paradigm change in the way conventional social and medical services are provided being a useful benefit for everyone.”
Nighina Abaszada, Resident Representative, UNFPA Moldova:
"This initiative is of great importance, considering the ageing population, with increased social and health needs. Today, 1 in 5 older people are over 60 years old and by 2040, one in 3 will be over 60 years old. This will require a shift of social and health systems, and digital skills and technologies can help to balance the development shifts and build Demographic Resilience in the Republic of Moldova".
The pilot project launched by Moldcell, UNFPA Moldova and FTA will offer the possibility of access via mobile phones donated to 630 older people to consultancy services and primary counseling of the Digital Abilities connecting generations programme beneficiaries – older persons living isolated in the rural areas of Moldova.
Olga Tumuruc, E-Government Center Representative
“Digitalization is the key to success in the rapidly changing environment of the today’s world. While digitalizing public and social services we need to make sure that, they are accessible to all the categories of the population. “Digital Abilities connecting generations” project, e-Government Center is a partner of, within which older people from Moldova learn how to use Internet, applications, social and public services with the help of younger volunteers is a way to promote digital services and make sure they are accessible for the entire population. E-Government Center of Moldova is a proud partner of the project.
The pilot project launched today is a test platform for identifying the efficiency of connecting the population to the socio-medical services via a mobile application as well as checking the necessity of such a project for the Republic of Moldova.”
The Statement of Partnership in the domain of e-health promotion in the Republic of Moldova was signed by Moldcell, UNFPA Moldova and Future Technologies Activities Project. Based on the signed Statement of Partnership, the Parties commit to explore the opportunities of e-health in Moldova for the benefit of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova.
Nirvana Chaudhary, President of the Board, Moldcell
“Moldcell is a digitally human operator, pioneering digital services for the benefit of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova. Having launched such innovative solutions as M-Doc based on mobile signature, e-SIM, e-Contract, e-Abonament, we are now ready to explore the digital side of socially needed services such as e-health. Today together with UNFPA and FTA Project we have signed the Statement of Partnership in the area of e-health, which has proven to have a great potential for all the categories of population worldwide, and which, for sure, has a big potential for Moldova and its digital leadership. We are proud to co-pilot the “Digital inclusion for social and e-health services” project for those 630 older people who already know how to use Internet and digital services thanks to “Digital Abilities connecting generations” project launched in partnership with UNFPA Moldova back in 2020. Now, they will get the possibility of access to primary counseling and first line medical consultations with the help of their smartphones.”
Doina Nistor, FTA Project Chief of Party:
“FTA is proud to be partnering with Moldcell and UNFPA to launch a Digital Inclusion for Social and E-Health Services pilot. Two of FTA’s key goals are to promote Moldova’s digitalization and work withprivate sector companies investing in game changing solutions for Moldova’s economy, creating replicable, scalable innovations that will drive growth and transformation. This pilot project will do both: start the critical digital evolution of Moldova’s health sector, and encourage additional private sector investment in digital innovations. We look forward to working with our partners to make this pilot a reality and expand digital solutions for Moldova’s people and businesses.”
“FTA is proud to be partnering with Moldcell and UNFPA to launch a Digital Inclusion for Social and E-Health Services pilot. Two of FTA’s key goals are to promote Moldova’s digitalization and work withprivate sector companies investing in game changing solutions for Moldova’s economy, creating replicable, scalable innovations that will drive growth and transformation. This pilot project will do both: start the critical digital evolution of Moldova’s health sector, and encourage additional private sector investment in digital innovations. We look forward to working with our partners to make this pilot a reality and expand digital solutions for Moldova’s people and businesses.”
Moldcell is a digital telecom player operating in Moldova since 2000. In March 2020, Moldcell became part of CG Corp Global owned by Mr. Binod Chaudhary. It is since then that Moldcell is inspired by CG Corp Global philosophy of Business with a Human Face. In 2020, Moldcell became the first and only private company of Moldova that officially supports and promotes United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Moldcell Foundation created in autumn 2020 is a platform uniting all the social development projects and initiatives of the company.
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA Moldova works in the areas of:
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sexual and reproductive health and rights
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adolescents and youth empowerment
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gender equality
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population and development
Future Technologies Activity funded by USAID and Sweden is a five-year, 52.8M USD flagship program spurring the development of the digital, creative and green economy in Moldova.
