Romania, a member of the European Union since 2007, is caught between an economic upswing and extreme poverty. Export-oriented industries, such as the building and oil industry, create workplaces and wealth, but only for highly qualified workers in specific areas. By contrast, a large portion of the rural population still lives in extreme poverty, and many small-time farmers face a loss of their livelihood due to the restructuring of the agricultural landscape.

 
Over 40 percent of Romanians live below the poverty level. The country’s healthcare conditions are poor, medicine is difficult to obtain, and a large part of the population cannot afford medical care. The Romanian government has introduced a healthcare reform, which has brought about little improvement. In an attempt to improve appalling care conditions for the disabled, Johanniter has provided orthotic devices and prosthetic limbs, as well as medical consumables to various orthopaedic centres in the country. Orthopaedic technicians also received additional education and training to ensure that the orthopaedic facilities will continue to grow and develop.