FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
A report by the Supreme State Audit Office published in 2023 found that in the building behind me, in the oncology department, cancer patients did not have proper treatment. Lack of beds, humidity or even a lack of equipment. Today, two years later, little has been fixed, and patients face the same challenges.
The Albanian Supreme Audit Office, with findings completed in January 2025, concludes that the hospital continues to fail to meet the basic conditions for the dignified treatment of cancer patients, even though the number of new cases is increasing. Despite recommendations given two years ago, the oncology department continues to be unable to accommodate patients in need.
The Supreme State Audit Office is asking the oncologist to take measures to increase the number of beds and chairs, and to create more suitable environments for quality treatment of tumor patients.
At the oncology hospital, the HSE says that there are still ongoing shortages of human resources staff and, as a result, long waiting days for patients are increasing.
The report highlights that, despite recommendations made in 2023, the Oncology facilities continue to be in a serious state and do not meet the requirements. The air conditioning system does not function throughout the building, patient rooms have problems with humidity, while the underground floor of the hospital, which should be a functional part, is used as a storage area for depreciated equipment.
The Albanian Supreme Health Inspectorate requires the cleaning, disinfection and rehabilitation of this floor, as well as the provision of ventilation and minimum conditions for the entire hospital structure.
Another worrying problem is the lack of a palliative care unit, essential for the treatment of terminally ill cancer patients. The ministry now only has a working group on the recommendation of 2 years ago, and to date, this unit has not even been established.
Tumor diseases are the third leading cause of death in the country, accounting for 15.3% of the total. But, according to the report, there is a significant discrepancy in the data of the national cancer registry. In fact, the Supreme Audit Office says that different institutions often report opposite figures, lacking real data on the prevalence of the disease and mortality.
For this reason, the Albanian Supreme Audit Office (ALSO) asks the Ministry of Health, the QSU, the Institute of Public Health and regional hospitals to cooperate to update and unify data on new cases and the progress of the disease, to build an accurate and functional registry. / Shqiptarja.com
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