RESUMEN
The public health system in the Republic of Moldova has undergone various reforms since 1992. The inherited sanitary–epidemiological services were transformed into a broader public health service. Reorganization of the public health system will continue in the coming years, both at national and regional levels, in order to strengthen the institutional framework, building a system that can address and respond to both communicable and noncommunicable diseases. To evaluate the current public health services and to make recommendations for strengthening their capacities, an overall assessment was carried out during 2011–2012, using the WHO European Region self-assessment tool. This report presents the results of the assessment, a joint effort of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the WHO Country Office in the Republic of Moldova, the Ministry of Health, the National Centre of Public Health, and representatives of Centres of Public Health and health institutions within the country. It addresses the major challenges in the health sector, including demographics, the low level of public health service financing, and the significant burden of noncommunicable diseases and social and health inequalities. It also argues in favour of promoting public health governance and a “Health in All Policies” approach through multi- and intersectoral collaboration, including the coordination of public health activities within the health sector and beyond it. The main conclusions and recommendations will serve as a base for the development of the National Public Health Strategy 2013–2020, a policy document for effective interventions to reduce health inequalities and improve population health.