The regional hospital in the northern town of Kukes, for first time in decades, poised to benefit from major investments in its infrastructure and equipment. A special project, the first phase of which is set start with this year’s state budget, is designed to transform all healthcare services provided in this hospital. Meanwhile, state-of-the-art medical equipment have been installed for the first time ever in this hospital, providing quality and precision in detecting a range of diseases and tumours in particular. Prime Minister Edi Rama visited the Kukes regional hospital today to meet the medical staff and inspect the hospital wards and newly installed medical equipment, including a mammogram machine or a digital ultrasound imaging machine.
The Minister of Health and the Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu, explaining the project, first phase of which has an estimate value of 169 million lek, said that an important investment is planned in the surgery ward, as well as in obstetrics and gynaecology, which will be integrated within the hospital building. “With the upcoming 2018 budget, we will launch the most important investment in Kukes regional hospital, a project which will transform all healthcare services in this hospital. The first part of the project is set to start on this year’s budget and it will extend to 2019 and it is designed to transform the surgery ward, new operating rooms, the emergency department and it integrates the obstetrics and gynaecology services within the hospital’s corpus. The project will not only restore the entire regional hospital in Kukes, but it will also fundamentally improve the quality of hospital and healthcare services. With the launch of the integrated surgical instruments service has been launched, the results of an improved service are tangible. The project, the first phase of which is worth of 169 million lek, is set to begin this year.” Health Minister noted that concerted efforts are being made together with the regional healthcare directorates to draft a plan that provides for the mammography screening of women from all areas of Kukes region at least once a year. On his part, the oncologist said that at least 200 mammography screenings had been carried out and several suspected cases had been detected. “This state-of-the-art mammogram machine was installed four months ago and some 200 screenings have been carried out. We have detected several suspected breast cancer cases. The early detection is the best way to prevent breast cancer.”
Emergency is another important service, where first aid is provided and citizens’ lives are saved. Therefore, investments in equipment and medical tools are long-awaited by whole medical personnel. “A major investment is being carried out in Kukes hospital after many decades,” the hospital’s director said in his remarks.
Special attention has been placed on providing of a range of healthcare services in the residential areas. Health Minister Manstirliu noted that projects worth of 4,5 million euros have been implemented in several regional hospital centres to improve healthcare services in general and diagnostic services in particular. “Our objective is to ensure that regional hospital in Kukes provides as many services as possible. The hospital is supplied with modern medical equipment to ensure early detection of diseases and patient follow-up. 4.5m euros have been invested in regional hospitals only this year for very important services such as emergency service, intensive care unit, or equipment that are very important for early breast cancer detection, including five mammography machines installed in five regional hospitals, including Kukes regional hospital.”
Prime Minister Edi Rama pledged more support for Kukes hospital and the country’s health care system. “The government will raise the salaries of employees in the public health system. This category will see the highest salary hike. I’m not like those who think that if you were a doctor or a nurse you are “a devil” who ask patients for some cash. Unfortunately, there are certain individuals who hurt the doctors’ reputation, but the majority of doctors and nurses work in rather not easy conditions and in my opinion they are real heroes. That’s why I want to express respect and appreciation for you. We will do whatever it takes to strengthen and improve healthcare services provided in Kukes hospital, because with the construction of Kukes airport due to start next year, many local people who currently live abroad will return home to receive medical treatment due to the high health care prices in the countries where they live. To this end, we should make our best to ensure this hospital improves its services. That’s why we will continue to invest here. Besides the planned investment to integrate all hospital services, we will keep on implementing projects to turn the regional hospital into a referral point for the whole area,” PM Rama said in his remarks.
