Medical leave certificates to be issued in digital format as of 1 March 2026

From 1 March 2026, the process of issuing medical leave certificates in the Republic of Moldova will be digitalized. A decision in this regard was approved today by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Health Minister Ala Nemerenco announced that the normative act will come into force on 1 March 2026, and aims to reduce bureaucracy and simplify procedures for medical personnel and patients.


“Since I've been working as a doctor, bureaucracy over paperwork has been frustrating, and as much as possible, I tried to lessen this burden on medical staff upon becoming a minister. For two years, I've tried to change the process of issuing medical leave certificates, but other priorities took our time. And finally, today we approved this decision which, I would say, is revolutionary, and time will demonstrate its impact,” Nemerenco stated.


The new decision stipulates several significant changes: digital issuance of medical certificates through a special portal, with electronic signatures and QR codes. Printing will be optional, upon patient request.

The determination, extension, and completion of medical leaves will be able to be conducted not only by family doctors and hospitals but also by all specialist practitioners, eliminating the current complicated procedures.

Additionally, there will be extended digital access for patients, employers, and medical service providers through the Medical Certificates Portal, the Governmental Citizen Portal and EVO app.

Employers will receive automatic notifications regarding the initiation of a medical leave certificate for an employee.


“Annually, over 420,000 medical certificates are issued in the Republic of Moldova, and their manual processing takes between 15 minutes and an hour for each case. The cost for printing alone exceeds 1.4 million lei. Through this digital system, not only do we reduce the bureaucratic burden, but we create a secure, interoperable, and accessible framework for everyone - patients, doctors, and employers,” the minister explained.


Nemerenco further added that this is an important step towards an efficient public system, where medical documents are managed digitally in complete security conditions.


“Our goal is to simplify people's lives and ensure that medical documents no longer pose an obstacle for medical staff or patients,” the official said.


In the Republic of Moldova, the medical leave certificate is the official document that certifies that a person cannot engage in professional activity due to the health condition. It is issued by family doctors, hospitals, or other authorized specialists and serves as a basis for granting the corresponding allowances.