Health – a fundamental right or a privilege?

Imagine for a moment that every breath is a challenge. That the air you take into your lungs doesn’t offer relief, but pain and effort. That in the morning, instead of waking up with plans for the future, you wake up to a calendar full of procedures that cannot be postponed. This is the daily reality of a cystic fibrosis (CF) patient in the Republic of Moldova – a continuous struggle for survival.

Cystic fibrosis is a rare genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. For patients, each day is a race against time, fighting the thick mucus that blocks the airways and causes infections. Traditional treatment involves hours of physiotherapy, inhalations, and taking dozens of medications. This routine is not only exhausting but also alienating.

Many patients give up meeting friends, attending parties, or even spending time with family to avoid missing a treatment session.

"Many times I feel like a prisoner in my own house," confesses a young patient. "I can't go out without thinking that I need to hurry back for procedures. My friends don't always understand. They ask me: Why are you always absent? Why are you so tired? It's not easy to explain what it means to live with this disease."

For patients in other European countries, a revolutionary treatment called Kaftrio has completely changed this story. Those who had access to it share how their lives transformed from a constant struggle to a normalcy they had only dreamed of before. "For the first time in my life, I breathed freely," says a patient from the United Kingdom. "I could laugh without coughing, climb stairs without stopping. I felt what it means to live."

But for patients in the Republic of Moldova, this hope is still a distant dream. Medications like Kaftrio, which are considered the standard of care in other parts of the world, are inaccessible to our patients. The words of the authorities – "We have no money, we have no budget" – are a cold verdict for the lives of these people.

Is this the dignified life we have the right to? Is this the healthcare that the state should protect?

While European countries develop their healthcare systems, Moldova lags behind, ignoring its most vulnerable citizens. For some, there are resources, while for others, there are none.

Is this equality? Is this justice?

In addition to the physical pain, cystic fibrosis brings a psychological burden that is hard to describe. Patients often feel that the disease controls every aspect of their life. "When I wake up in the morning, I don't think about what I want to do that day. I think about what I need to do to survive: how much time to dedicate to physiotherapy, how to do all the inhalations, how to avoid complications. It’s a constant struggle that drains you."

This routine not only affects the patients but also their families. "We no longer have time to just be mother and daughter," shares a mother. "Everything is about treatments and procedures. Sometimes, I wonder if the day will ever come when we can laugh together without thinking about the disease."

Health is not a privilege; it is a right. A right that patients with cystic fibrosis increasingly feel is out of reach. Access to medications like Kaftrio should not depend on where you were born. It is time for this issue to be brought into the light and become a priority.

We can change this situation. Through awareness, solidarity, and concrete actions, we can bring a ray of hope to the lives of those who fight daily with cystic fibrosis. Every contribution matters. Every voice that supports this cause can make a difference.

Let’s not allow indifference to be our answer. Let’s show that we care. The right to health is a right for all, and together, we can make this promise a reality.