The paediatric hospital inside the University Hospital Centre in Tirana has been transformed into the latest construction site where intense work is underway to build new complex to provide the best care for the little patients and designed to deliver optimum conditions and a modern healthcare environment.

Prime Minister Edi Rama closely inspected the ongoing works to build the new facility, which will add to the chain of transformation the country’s largest university hospital centre has been going through over the past years, making a dream come true for many generations of doctors and nurses. The Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu said that the decades long-awaited investment is now underway to reconstruct the old building of the’50-s that has undergone minor and not complete rehabilitation projects over the years.  “We are at the new paediatric hospital. It is years long-awaited investment since the children’s hospital facility, built in ’58, had seen only some minor rehabilitation interventions, yet failing to deliver the required conditions and healthcare environment for doctors and the little patients who receive health care here. The project is designed to rehabilitate whole paediatric hospital complex as the paediatric infectious disease facility is also being renovated following the damages it sustained because of the last November earthquake. The project envisages a new Paediatric Emergency Centre. The project is also designed to provide a natural partition of the Emergency Ward with ambulances arriving, handing over the patient and leaving immediately so that no chaos is created as it used to be the case at the University Hospital Centre only few years ago. In the meantime, a dedicated entrance for parents, family members, as well as the health personnel is built. The ongoing investment is worth EUR 9 million and funding to provide state-of-the-art equipment is set to be allocated under the 2021 state budget,” Health Minister explained.

The project is designed in such a way that the hospital is not merely a space where little patients receive hospital care and treatment, but also a friendly and attractive environment for them. “They are considered child-friendly spaces and are not simply designed as a hospital, but also as friendly spaces for the hospitalized children to provide them necessary comfort,” Health Minister added.

In a conversation with the attending doctors, PM Rama reconfirmed the government plan for a 40% pay hike for doctors, nurses and all health workers. “Today we will unveil the decision we will make to increase your salaries starting January 1. The new pay rise will be included in the new state law budget for 2021. So, all health workers will see their wages increase by 40%, which is a considerable hike. All doctors and nurses across Albania will benefit the government decision.