TIRANA, Aug. 14 – A report describing the main findings and recommendations of a rapid assessment of the current conditions of primary health care in Albania from the World Health Organization found out the PHC (Primary Health Care) centres have a considerable shortage of diagnostic and treatment equipment and no standard list of equipment.
According to the report, during the mission’s visit, no PHC centres had electrocardiographs, otoscopes or ophthalmoscopes.
“One centre had a functioning X-ray machine from 1918 that deserves a place in a museum. The interviews confirmed patients’ poor access to laboratory services, especially in rural areas. Even for simple blood and urine analysis, patients have to go to polyclinics,” the report said.
Further on, the report said the outdated equipment, the lack of qualified specialists, especially at the local level, and the limited budget, puts strains on ensuring equitable access in PHC.
Earlier local health experts claimed that the government had mismanaged the health system with PPP concessions, which absorbed millions of euros for secondary services such as sterilization. Experts claim that the best investment in health, especially in the prevention field, is medical equipment.
Some time ago a complete refurbishment of the building was carried out at the specialized polyclinic in Tirana on walls and furnishings, but left unchanged the old and high-radiation diagnostic equipment.
WHO inspectors also noted that the buildings are massively old. Some facilities have recently been refurbished, but still retain a molded ceiling, no heating and ventilation. Meanwhile, the offices are small and uncomfortable, the report says. Some offices accommodate three to five people, including a patient, a doctor and one or two nurses.
