A newly-built healthcare centre in the town of Belsh finalizes the first phase of the National Programme on Reconstruction of 300 healthcare facilities across the country, thanks to which 300 primary healthcare centres have been built-back to meet contemporary European standards.

The second phase of the rehabilitation programme is designed to transform the existing healthcare centres to become fully operational and deliver same European and top quality primary healthcare standards. 

Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu toured the new healthcare centre in Belsh. Health Minister noted that the new health facility will provide primary healthcare service to local residents in the municipality of Belsh.

“Rehabilitation of the health centre in Belsh has just completed to deliver care services to over 14,000 local residents and the residents in the whole territory of the municipality. So, a total of 40,000 residents will receive primary care services as the centre is designed to operate 24 hours a day. With the resumption of the primary healthcare service and all other care services, the new facility is now totally complete and operational. The new centre meets the standards we have applied under the national programme on rehabilitation of the 300 health centres across the country. A total of healthcare facilities have been rehabilitated under the national program in Elbasan alone,” Health Minister Manastirliu added.

Meanwhile, in addition to the COVID-19 vaccination, administering the seasonal flu vaccines is also underway at the newly-built health facility. “We made preparations to procure not only COVID-19 vaccines, but also the influenza shots in line with the directives of the Public Health Institute to roll out the influenza vaccines in tandem with the coronavirus vaccines. More than 200,000 doses of the influenza vaccines have been distributed to the healthcare centres throughout the country,” Health Minister said, adding that “the preventive medical check-up programme resumed in September and people are showing increased interest in undergoing medical check-ups.”

October was also the breast cancer awareness month, when around 9,000 women underwent mammography screening for free thanks to the network of the mammography units already delivered to all health care centres all over the country.