In just two years, 11 regional hospitals in the country and three polyclinics in Tirana have been equipped with cabinets of cardiology, a service that has been missing for a long time considering the high number of people affected by heart diseases. The most recent of this cabinets was launched in the cardiology ward in the hospital of Berat, where 500 patients will not have any longer to go the Hospital Centre in Tirana, but will be provided the service in this hospital.  From now on, tens of cardiac patients per week, who were forced to be diagnosed in Tirana or upon payment in private health institutions, will not travel any longer back and forth, and will be spared the effort and the costs to have this service.

Prime Minister Edi Rama and Health Minister Ilir Beqaj visited the regional hospital in Berat, where following an investment of 5.9 million ALL the newest devices have been installed in the cabinet of cardiology, such as 3D ECHO, the device to measure the cardiac load, the blood pressure, as well as holter monitors for heart.

Cardiologist Julian Ranxha said that this an essential service that has missed until recently. “It is a novelty for Berat, because it complements the diagnosis of cardiac patients, and of those who travel to Tirana simply for an intervention”, Ranxha said.

The old cardiologist Pavllo Bojaxhi was enthusiastic about this up-to-date equipment. “You can do everything in real time with this kind of equipment. There are newer appliances that solve the problem of kinetics, and provide heart anatomical information. Now, only those who really need to go to Tirana will have to, while the rest will have the service here. This minimizes the overload in the centre”, Bojaxhi said.

These investments strengthen the role of regional hospitals. Our goal, Minister Beqaj said, is to diagnose diseases as close to citizens as possible.

“Every week, approximately 10 patients [from Berat] are forced to go to Tirana, or to private health institutions and pay cash only for the training test. This year, 500 people will be provided services at the hospital in Berat, thus saving time and money, in addition to minimizing the load in Tirana. 11 regional hospitals have this cabinet across the country, along with three policlinics in Tirana. There was nothing two years ago, while today, the cardiac diseases have the focus of our commitment”, Minister Beqaj noted.

The goal of the Ministry of Health is to have the cardiovascular service provided across the country.