Photo credit (c): ANGELO BREZOIANU / AGERPRES ARCHIVES

The beneficial health effects of the stimulating local climate, of sapropel, of water rich in chlorine, sodium and iodine as well as the professionalism of the medical staff make the sanatorium, which has a capacity of nearly 1,000 beds, to be fully occupied throughout the year, except December and January.

‘Approximately 2% of the Romanian population have visited us. There is a rising trend in the number of patients. The sanatorium meets the same conditions as any another similar unit in Europe. Over 10 million euros have been invested in recent years in improving services and raising the comfort level, using our equity and funds from the Ministry of Health. Wings A and B are refurbished and modernised, and we hope to complete all rehabilitation projects for the entire premises,’ SBRT Manager Vasilica Rusu told Agerpres.

According to medical director Elena Ionescu, most of the patients from other countries seeking the medical services provided to the Techirghiol Sanatorium come from Russia, Israel and the European Union, some of which are Romanians settled abroad.

‘We are always turning down patients because we do not have enough beds. Appointments are made long before for chronic patients, but we keep a few beds for acute patients. (…) Patients are scheduled by their physicians,’ said Elena Ionescu.

According to her, the main conditions that can be treated successfully at Techirghiol are musculoskeletal, rheumatic, inflammatory and posttraumatic conditions, as well as conditions of the respiratory tract, dermatological, neurological and gynaecological conditions.

‘We are glad to see that, from year to year, the Techirghiol Sanatorium turns into a meeting ground for increasingly more Romanians and foreigners. (…) Things are going on so fast, both as far as the infrastructure of the sanatorium is concerned and as far as the scientific and medical components are concerned, that we barely cope with the changes. (…) The mud is in a perfect condition and we discover increasingly more interactions between it and the health of the body,’ said the doctor, adding that research is being conducted to demonstrate the anti-aging value of the Techirghiol mud.

As far as the conditions for which a SBRT treatment is contraindicated are concerned, Ionescu gave as an example the cardio-vascular pathology, stating that ‘all the patients of the sanatorium are seen by a doctor before starting any treatment, in order to exclude all risks.’

Increasingly more young people have been among the patients of the sanatorium in the recent years, and one explanation for the situation does not exclude the fact that the youth get sick because they no longer exercise and they spend too much time in front of computers.

‘The largest share of the patients is made up of the elderly, but as the years pass the percentage is reversed. Increasingly more young people come to the sanatorium. (…) Maybe the young people understand the need for disease prevention or maybe they come because they no longer exercise, have a sedentary lifestyle, sit at the computer too much and get sick. (…) I think there is a balance between the two aspects,’ argued the medical director of the sanatorium.

Because there are patients who arrive at the Techirghiol Spa and Sanatorium without being able to move on their own and leave ‘on their own feet,’ as representatives of the sanatorium claim, several dozen of these people have donated to the sanatorium their wheelchairs, crutches, and canes that were used and were no longer needed. Thus, the idea of establishing a museum of wheelchairs inside the sanatorium came to life.

‘The Techirghiol Sanatorium has a museum of wheelchairs, crutches, canes, various walking aids, a museum set up using donations from the patients who have gone home without needing them anymore. (…) The museum is not active now. (…) The patients donated them as a token of gratitude for the fact that we healed them and in order to help other patients with the wheelchairs and the walking aids,’ said the SBRT representatives.

About the Techirghiol sapropel mud, former Health Minister Vasile Cepoi said that this natural healing resource is in danger of decay.

‘In my opinion, yes, it is in danger. Because I saw they started building very close to the lake, which can change a number of natural factors such as air and water streams and lead to mud degradation. That is why I was saying that clearer legislation is needed on defence premises for areas with natural healing factors. (…) There is a Government project, an inter-ministerial group that I coordinate, set up last year and taking care exactly of this issue. We are going to release a strategy from which to issue subsequent pieces of legislation conducive to solving many problems, one of which is this. It is not the Techirghiol alone, but all the spa resorts,’ said Cepoi.

According to him, Techirghiol is a reference for the internationally recognised healing properties of the natural factors in the coastal zone, but health tourism in Romania is not stimulated.

‘Health tourism needs to be stimulated, given that before 1990 Romania was 14th to 15th in the world rankings, while currently it is no longer in any ranking. When it comes to health tourism, the tourist component should be developed, because, for example in Techirghiol, the medical component is well represented, but unfortunately, tourism is not well represented. Recreational tourism in health tourism has a number of particularities and, on the one hand, tranquillity has to be observed, but on the other hand the desire for relaxation and entertainment should also be kept in mind. Authorities and investors should think about this because only this way will Techirghiol become a magnet not only for Romanian, but also for foreigners,’ said Cepoi

The Legend of Techir tells the story of how the healing properties of the mud in Lake Techirghiol were discovered.

Legend has it that hundreds of years ago, a crippled and blind old man named Techir, left only with his donkey, one day happened on the mud of Techirghiol Lake that had attracted mainly his donkey. The old man struggled for hours to get out of the foul smelling mud but his stubborn donkey would not budge. Once they came out of the mud, Techir realised that his eyes could perceive light again and his legs, helpless for a long time, started to obey him. At the same time, the ugly wounds on the donkey’s back had healed and its body became visibly nimbler. The news that the mud in Lake Techirghiol would be miraculous spread quickly, and upon hearing what miracle had happened to Techir and his donkey, people started coming in droves to Techirghiol to bathe in the mud for healing. AGERPRES