An Israeli medical team is in Romania to help doctors at the Bagdasar Arseni Hospital in Bucharest treat some 140 victims of a deadly nightclub fire which killed 32 people.
Romanian Health Minister Nicolae Banicioiu said the Israeli team came immediately. “They offered to help us,” he said. “We have a very good relationship with the [Israeli] Health Ministry.”
The Israeli team brought a product called NexoBrid, which has proven very effective in severe burn cases.
“We have come to offer help and expertise in the use of NexoBrid, a product that replaces surgery for severe burns,” Dr. Shoram said.
According to the Romanian Health Ministry, 80 to 90 of the victims are in critical condition. Seven who suffered burns over 30 percent or more of their bodies are on mechanical ventilation.
“I’ve never seen such a tragedy in my whole career,” Dr. Shoram said when the team first arrived.
The cause of the fire is thought to be from a pyrotechnic fireworks display during a performance by heavy metal band, Goodbye to Gravity. The venue was the Collective Club in Bucharest.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said safety regulations may have been ignored. The government declared three days of national mourning.
Some 20,000 Romanians took to the streets in protest, complaining of government corruption and poor safety supervision. As a result, Romanian Prime Minister, Victor Ponta, resigned.
“I’m handing in my mandate, I’m resigning, and implicitly my government too,” Mr Ponta said in a statement.
“I hope the government’s resignation will satisfy the people who came out in the streets,” he added.
