The newly restored Emergency and Pathology Hospital in the central city of Elbasan has opened ahead of schedule and became fully operational today ensuring more than 275 000 residents of Elbasan district are provided emergency care, modern cardiology and neurology services they need. Built back in 1976, the three-storey derelict building located within the regional hospital compound in Elbasan has been now transformed into a modern hospital centre with a 75-bed capacity and state-of-the art equipment and technology.
Prime Minister Edi Rama visited the newly reconstructed hospital in the central city, a government investment worth 1.7 million euros. The Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu noted that thanks also to the healthcare personnel of the regional hospital in Elbasan the project completed in record time. In the meantime, the facility is one of the for hospitals that have been accredited over the first half of the year, meeting the main healthcare service criteria in terms of infrastructure, hospital technology equipment, hygienic and technical conditions, qualification of human resources and provision of healthcare service to patients. “This building was reduced to ruins, a symbol of the system’s degradation. The investment in hospital refurbishment, its infrastructure and biomedical equipment is estimated at over 1.7 million euros. The project completed in a record time, also thanks to the work done by the whole health personnel of the Elbasan regional hospital. With its upgraded conditions and thanks to the investment in hospital’s infrastructure – as the emergency ward is the main service gate to the citizens – the accreditation standard is now fully met so the new centre will be accredited soon,” she said.
The emergency ward has a 25-bed capacity and meets all service standards with its three in one service system and modern equipment. The new hospital project has been welcomed by the healthcare personnel serving there for years now and the initial patients who are receiving first aid in the new facility.
“It can’t be better. Thank you very much for this gift to Elbasan. Our city deserved this kind of service, this modern emergency ward. I have been attending training programs in Germany and when I see the newly upgraded hospital centre here I can state our hospital offers better conditions. It is up to us to maintain the centre,” a member of the health personnel said.
“Such conditions are not provided even at private hospitals. The government is implementing great projects, but we should maintain such hospitals,” a local resident said.
With the new investment, the emergency and pathology service in the regional hospital is completely transformed, thanks also to a new design that facilitates the internal hospital infrastructure. Health Minister Manastirliu explained that the new hospital integrates the medical imaging department. “The medical imaging department had been built previously, but the fact is that those who needed emergency care had to wander around in order to undergo an echocardiogram, CT scan, magnetic resonance imaging, which was installed last year and is now the hospital’s integral part with a 25-bed capacity. It has all been organized to provide integrated services. The new center is also directly linked to the surgical hospital. The first admissions to cardiology ward have begun. So the hospital is operational today,” she said.
Cardiology ward and intensive care unit are equipped with modern echo, electrocardiogram, exercise test, etc. Neurology ward and the neurology intensive care unit also meet standards with modern resuscitation equipment.
Young doctors have recently joined the health personnel.
“The neurologist has completed his specialization program this year. He will help a lot as we needed a neurologist here in Elbasan. Now it is no longer to transfer patients to the University Hospital Centre in Tirana, because through the telemedicine that has been incorporated in this hospital, the connection is made live. Through the telemedicine consultations we have helped diabetes patients who no longer need to travel to Tirana, but to consult directly from all regional hospitals with the University Endocrinology Service,” Manastirliu said.
