The regional hospital in Fier, southern Albania, has expanded its services with the opening of new units and after being supplied with new state-of-the-art equipment. This year alone, the government has invested around 1 million euro in examination equipment for each medical unit, providing services to around 300 000 residents in Fier district.
Prime Minister Edi Rama, together with the Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu, visited Saturday the newly refurbished and renovated facilities of this hospital, where the chemotherapy and hemodynamic units are opened for first time ever.
The hospital’s modern infrastructure is also evident in the reception and waiting area. What is noticeable upon walking into the hospital facilities is a displayed medicine list, a practice, according to Health Minister Manastirliu, being implemented in every hospital across the country to put an end to any abusive forms of purchasing drugs out of hospital. “The medicine list is displayed at every hospital, not only in the regional hospital centres, but also in municipal ones. No essential medications should be missing as all hospitals, under the framework agreement, are supplied with all medicines, in terms of both quality and quantity, without creating stocks. These lists are displayed as part of efforts to increase transparency and allow nobody to recommend buying medication out of the hospital. The hospital’s director informed that a hotline number has been made available 24/7 for every citizen to report any complaint in case medical staff refuses to provide the required medication.
The new chemotherapy unit will treat the local tumour patients. In the conversation with doctors and patients already under treatment with the Herceptin in this unit, Prime Minister Rama stressed the importance of efforts to raise awareness among women and girls for early examinations to ensure early detection of severe tumour illnesses. Oncologist Dhurata Tarifa, the head of the chemotherapy service at the Tirana University Hospital Centre who attended the inauguration of the new chemotherapy unit in Fier regional hospital, noted that breast cancer patients receive timely treatment with Herceptin since this medication was fully provided in May.
“The Herceptin supply issue has been tackled. It was actually a serious challenge as this medication is pretty expensive, but the life of these women and girls who need Herceptin is much dearer. The supply matter was tackled thanks to the framework agreement. I am really pleased that the chemotherapy service is provided in this hospital as it will no longer be necessary to transfer patients from this area to Tirana and it will reduce the workload. We should make utmost efforts to raise awareness among women and girls for early examinations to ensure early detection of severe tumour illnesses so that they won’t be forced to undergo this process,” the Premier said.
A movable mammography x ray machine has been installed in Fier regional hospital in October as part of the breast cancer awareness month. “The movable mammography machines operate all over the country where local hospitals and clinics lack the capacities to provide the static mammogram so that we ensure continued screening of women and girls for breast cancer. This service will be available throughout the year also in the country’s most remote areas for all women to be screened,” Manastirliu said.
The emergency service ward has also been modernized to provide first aid with professionalism and also reduce the waiting time for all citizens.
The emergency ward – the Premier underlined – will significantly reduce the workload at the emergency department at University Hospital Centre in Tirana. The emergency service is underway and the service distribution is being made step by step, because such service was provided at the University Hospital Centre only, but now an entire service delivery system is being build. We will keep on working to fully meet the needs, but it is important to ensure positive performance of the whole medical and nursing personnel. Of course there are individuals who bring disgrace on the doctor’s while lab coat, but the majority of doctors and nurses are not absolutely like them. With the upcoming state budget, we have projected a considerable pay hike for the workers in the health sector next year.”
After the two university hospital centres in Tirana and the regional hospital in Shkodra, which provides services to the residents in northern part of Albania, a hemodynamic unit has been installed in the regional hospital in Fier which will provide specialized and advanced treatment of cardiac emergencies for the residents in the country’s southern part.
