Promises that remained on paper! Dibra Hospital still unfinished

In 2023, it was promised that the “Rrahim Xhika” Regional Hospital in Dibër would be reconstructed within two years. Today, two years later, no work has started. The tender has been canceled, while the hospital building continues to be in a deplorable condition – with cracked walls, mold and a lack of specialist doctors.

To cope with the situation, retired doctors have been hired. Meanwhile, patients are forced to use private services for tests and examinations, due to a lack of capacity.

According to health expert Erion Dasho, this is clear evidence of the government's superficial engagement in the health sector as currently technology and services have deteriorated, deepening the gap between regional hospitals and the "Mother Teresa" University Hospital Center in Tirana (QSUT).

It was  May 2023 , when ministers Ogerta Manastirliu - then Minister of Health - and Belinda Balluku presented to the medical staff of Peshkopia Hospital images of what the wards would look like after the complete reconstruction from the 3.2 million euro project.

"There will be European infrastructure parameters, making it possible for us to have a hospital that will integrate pediatrics, gynecology, imaging, laboratory, pathology, surgery, operating room and resuscitation services into a unique structure,"  declared Manastirliu.

About 8 months later, in January 2024, the new Minister of Health, Albana Koçiu,  declared that work on the reconstruction of the hospital would begin within a few weeks, but more than a year has passed and the work has not started, on the contrary. 

Cancellation of the hospital tender 

In 2023, a tender procedure for the reconstruction of the "Rrahim Xhika" hospital, where the winner was announced as "Rafin Company" in partnership with "Udha shpk", with a bid of 2.9 million euros and a work deadline of 24 months.

In March 2024, the tender was canceled, but in December the Public Procurement Agency announced it anyway. conclusion of the contract with two operators.

Asked about this situation, the Dibër Regional Hospital said that  "the procedure has been suspended by decision of the High Court following a request from the Public Procurement Commission ." According to the hospital's response, there has been a court case against one of the companies, while there is no date for when the works are expected to begin.

Patients: Hospital conditions miserable

Those who are suffering the consequences of this situation are the residents of Dibra. They point to unacceptable conditions in the hospital: cracked walls, humidity, lack of hygiene and lack of ventilation in the rooms. Many of them have to spend money in private hospitals for the most basic tests.

"No work has been done to date. The hospital walls are cracked and very moldy. The state of hygiene and cleanliness is scandalous. The hospital toilets are a disaster, especially the hospital emergency room, very bad," raises concerns Izeti, a resident of Peshkopia.

Drita also has the same concern, stating that the hospital's condition is deplorable.

"The conditions are not good at all. The hospital is very humid, the treatment rooms are not ventilated," says the 54-year-old.

In addition to the conditions, patients also complain about the lack of services provided at this hospital.

"I had the tests done privately for 40 thousand lekë (400 euros), because they didn't do them for me at the hospital in Peshkopi. In Tirana and Peshkopi, wherever you go to the hospitals, they are for 'ibret',"  adds Drita.

For health expert Erion Dasho, regional hospitals in Albania have a major common problem, as they were built before the '90s.

"They were built according to a Soviet concept of the time. This concept no longer matches the contemporary concept of healthcare provision, which is based on vertical hospitals and efficient communication between different service departments."

"The second major problem of regional hospitals is that these hospitals do not have the real status they should have. A number of services are centralized in the QSUT,"  Dasho emphasizes.

He further adds that the government's contribution has been largely superficial in the health system, while technology and real conditions have deteriorated, deepening the gap between regional hospitals and the QSUT.

"The government's only contribution  is that it painted the walls and laid the tiles,"  Dasho emphasizes.

According to him, at first glance, conditions seem to have improved. But technology has not improved, and has even lagged behind.

"If we look at how many new medications are introduced, how many new technologies have been introduced, how many new surgical intervention techniques have been introduced, I would say that conditions have only worsened and the disparity between regional hospitals and the QSUT has only increased,"  argues Dasho.

Lack of doctors at the Dibër regional hospital

As if the difficult conditions in this hospital were not enough, patients must also deal with the lack of specialist doctors. This problem is even acknowledged by the hospital itself in its official response.

According to information, the "Rrahim Xhika" regional hospital has a shortage of specialist doctors: 1 dermatologist; 1 surgeon, 1 pediatrician, 1 head of the infectious pediatrics clinic, 1 doctor for the methadone treatment unit, etc.

According to patients, due to the shortage of doctors, retired doctors provide services at this hospital.

"There are some doctors who have retired, but they are on duty at the hospital because there are no other doctors to replace them. There are no new doctors at the hospital, they are over 70 years old,"  says Dilaveri, a resident of Peshkopia.

Referring to official data from the Dibër Regional Hospital, the retired doctors are in the general service (2 doctors); in the neurology clinic (1 doctor) and in the resuscitation service (1 anesthesiologist-resuscitator).

According to Erion Dasho, regional hospitals have been severely affected by the departure of doctors, leaving them without important specialties or relying on retired doctors, who are also included in official statistics.

"Most regional hospitals either have very important specialties not covered or are forced to extend the contracts of retired doctors, and today when we say that there is a certain number of doctors per 1,000 inhabitants, retired doctors are also counted here," Dasho said./ /Citizens.al