The Romanian anti corruption body, the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), announced on May 23 it has started an investigation into IT company HP Romania and some former and current managers of the National Health Insurance House (CNAS).

This is the second scandal to hit the Romanian health sector in the past few weeks. A recent investigation by Gazeta Sporturilor revealed that disinfectants producer Hexi Pharma had supplied sub-standard products to Romanian hospitals for several years. This is belived to have contributed to many deaths from infection after the Club Colectiv nightclub fire in 2015.

The DNA has started an investigation into former heads of CNAS Vasile Ciurchea and Irinel Popescu, among others, on suspicion of abuse of power. HP Romania is investigated for complicity to abuse of power.

Specifically, the DNA claims that between 2007 and 2009, CNAS and HP Romania concluded a number of addenda to a contract for the computerisation of the national health insurer. The addenda envisaged the acquisition by CNAS of overpriced additional technical assistance services and on-site training which caused it damages of €16.84mn.

The prosecutors claim that the acquisition was made without following the legal procedure and that CNAS accepted HP Romania’s proposals without carrying out its own analysis of the offered price and without a real negotiation.

Two of the addenda envisaged the payment of €804 per person per day for the additional services provided and another the payment €760 per person per day. The services were subcontracted for prices which did not exceed €200 per person per day. This led to the €16.4mn damage, representing the difference between the price paid to HP Romania and the real cost of the services.