The newly rebuilt healthcare centre No. 10 in Tirana with its conveniently and modern facilities provides 24-hour care to citizens. The reconstruction project, part of the government’s ambitious program to rehabilitate and construct 300 healthcare centres all over the country, transformed the medical centre into light and comfortable premises suited for modern and top quality primary healthcare. Prime Minister Edi Rama and the Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu visited the Medical Centre No. 10. The citizens are satisfied and highly evaluate quality of the health care service provided there.
“The conditions have significantly improved. Children feel more comfortable. The premises are modern and cleaner. The parents also feel comfortable as much better healthcare service is provided,” a young mother said.
The transformation is obvious, especially to the local residents who receive health care service at this centre for years. I am a resident of this neighbourhood for 18 years. Moisture was to be found anywhere in the interior premises of the medical centre previously. Things now have completely changed.”
“I came from the United States a month ago and I can say that this clinic’s meets the standards of the American medical centres. They look like almost the same,” an another citizen said.
Meanwhile, doctors and health personnel working in this centre for years, voice optimism about the fact that quality of care has significantly improved with the improvement of the conditions. “I work here since 1986. A fundamental transformation has taken place. It is a radical improvement, offering much better conditions for the children and for the health personnel too,” a doctor said.
Health Minister Manastirliu explained that Medical Centre No.10 in Tirana is one of the four centres offering 24-hour care during the winter season in order to handle the large influx of the patients in the University Hospital Centre. Meanwhile, doctors of all Tirana health centres offer their service in the Paediatric Ward at University Hospital Centre. “This medical centre meets all required standards we are seeking to achieve as part of the rehabilitation program of 300 health care centres. Parents receive a much better service. This center offers 24-hour service. Four health care centres operate around the clock and seven days a week during winter season in order to help University Hospital Centre deal with the influx of people,” Manastirliu said.
The initiative has been welcomed by the doctors in the University Hospital Centre and other health care centres in Tirana. “We provide our service at the University Hospital Centre in the afternoon too. A large number of people are visiting the University Hospital Centre. The conditions have completely changed,” a paediatrician said.
This year’s novelties include the electronic referrals system, which, according to Health Minister, enables electronic booking for patients needing more specialized consultation. “Previously, citizens had to wait and stay in a long que, they can now see a doctor via the electronic referrals system creating direct communication between primary care providers and specialist reviewers. The electronic referrals system and the electronic consultation platform are being applied for first time. It is highly important to abide the electronic referral system as it shuns bureaucracy and gauges work and performance of each doctor.”
Health Minister noted that Medical Centre No. 10 is one of the most successful healthcare centres in terms of raising the citizens’ awareness over the primary medical check-up. “As many as 428 000 citizens underwent the basic medical check-up in 2018. This is one of the leading centres in this respect as a large number of citizens undergoing the preventive check-up to detect and prevent acute illnesses that can easily be detected only by performing basic medical check-up once a year.”
