A campaign for supporting doctors who disclose information of public interest is conducted with UNDP Moldova support

Since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemics, more and more doctors started to disclose information of public interest. They talk about problems in the healthcare system, which should be settled so as to fully secure people’s right to health and life.

Doctors’ disclosures may be considered as whistleblowing. Any action of intimidation, retaliation, persecution of whistleblowers results in administrative liability or, as the case may be, criminal proceedings.

An information campaign to support whistleblowers among doctors was launched today by UNDP Moldova in collaboration with the People’s Advocate (Ombudsperson) Office and the National Anticorruption Center, with the financial support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The video spot produced for the respective campaign points out that People’s Advocate Office is the institution ensuring whistleblowers’ protection and may act ex-officio when illegal practices are disclosed publically. Hence, People’s Advocate Office may request from employers to cease intimidation and retaliation towards whistleblowers, and if appropriate, may represent the whistleblowers’ interests in the court, as well as provide conclusions or opinions in pending cases.

The effective and prompt investigation of internal whistleblowing is under the employers’ duty, while external whistleblowing is registered and reviewed by the National Anticorruption Center (NAC). Disclosures which do not fall under the NAC competence shall be referred to other authorities, according to their mandates.

Whistleblowers may request protection from the People’s Advocate Office at the following email: ombudsman@ombudsman.md, by filling in an online application on the People’s Advocate Office webpage: www.ombudsman.md (http://ombudsman.md/cererea-on-line/) or via phone: +37360002657).