Two more COVID-19 designated hospitals that are meant to deal exclusively with COVID-19 patients, named Hospital COVID 3 and Hospital COVID 4, are ready and equipped with all necessary equipment and trained health personnel to ensure additional inpatient capacities for treatment of the coronavirus cases. A total of 150 beds in the two facilities add to the inpatient hospital capacities for COVID-19 patients needing qualified treatment. Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Minister of Health Ogerta Manastirliu, inspected the Hospital COVID 3, set to become operational this week.
“As part of the strategy designed to cope with the infections, we have been preparing the two facilities COVID 3 and COVID 4 for months now, which together with the other two COVID-19 designated hospitals have a total capacity of 550 beds. The facility is ready and, taking notice of the increased influx of patients needing hospitalization, it may become operational this week. A team of doctors and nurses have been trained for weeks now and they are ready to deliver care, along with the ventilators, monitors and all the necessary equipment to treat coronavirus patients,” Health Minister Manastirliu said.
The COVID-19 designated facility named Hospital COVID 3 is housed in the former building of Surgery Hospital building, which has been rehabilitated and its bed capacity has increased. Its location within the University Hospital Centre is considered by the head of the Infectious Disease Hospital, Dr. Najada Çomo, as easily accessible and it offers the opportunity for consultations with the hospital centre specialists. “The number of infected people and hospitalizations is growing, but we still have free capacities and as long as we have such capacities, there is no need for a third hospital to open without fully exhausting the capacities of the hospitals COVID 1 and COVID 2,” Çomo said.
The health personnel, including physicians, physician assistants, respiratory therapists, nurses, who have undergone a several month long training at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, are ready to deliver care and treatment to patients at the hospitals COVID 3 and COVID 4.
The hospital COVID 3 is designed to initially serve as a support facility for the two main COVID-19 designated hospitals, although Professor Arben Gjata says the hospital is ready to open even today if necessary. Doctors noted that all COVID-19 patients in our country receive treatment according to the internationally recognized guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and control of the coronavirus disease. “We ample supply of coronavirus treatment Remdesivir and other medicines being currently used all over the world. It is too early to talk about results, but, after all, we have been provided with any drug included in the international guidelines to fight the coronavirus. These treatments and medicines are being provided to patients for free, just like it is the case with patients suffering from other diseases,” Dr. Najada Çomo said.
All doctors and nurses who are contributing to the fight against COVID have received and will continue to receive the bonus along with their base pay, Prime Minister Edi Rama confirmed.
In the meantime, the vaccination against seasonal flu is also underway, while entire health personnel all over the country have already received the flu shots. “The influenza vaccination is progressing well. The first batch of around 70 000 flu shots has completed. Entire health personnel have received flu shots as one of the principal groups at risk. Vaccination of the rest of population is also underway and we expect the next supply of seasonal influenza vaccines to be delivered on October 28, to complete the total of 368,000 vaccines we have ordered,” Health Minister said.
Health Minister also noted that citizens are becoming increasingly aware and are complying with the anti-COVID measures. “The citizens are now aware that it is the only universally accepted means of protection.”
