The exodus has "hit" the country, EURACTIV: The government will offer housing for young doctors, conditions for graduates as well

The government is preparing a scheme to prevent the emigration of young people, especially doctors and nurses, through the means of credit at home, salary increases and requirements to practice in the country for a certain time.

The hope of the European Union has seen its population drop by more than 1.4 million since the end of communism in 1991, with 700,000 leaving in the last decade and at least 32,000 – mostly young people – in 2022, EURACTIV reports.

The mass exodus has hit the employment market hard, with significant shortages of staff in the hospitality, tourism, manufacturing, but also the health care sector. During the last decade, at least 3,500 health professionals, including many doctors, have left Albania for Germany alone.

Prime Minister Edi Rama announced a new initiative on Wednesday to try to keep medical staff and other young people in the country, including favorable loan terms for housing and salary increases, as he inaugurated a new unit at the state hospital in Tirana.

"For all young couples, doctors, police and soldiers, they will be subject to the program where the government will support the possibility of credit to buy a house with conditions completely different from those of the banking market," he said . "In this way, we strongly believe that in this way we will give another important motivation to young doctors," he added.

Rama said that the migration of professionals is not only a phenomenon of Albania, adding that those who leave have a good reputation and are rapidly integrated into European health services like in Germany.

"But we cannot fund the German health service. We cannot accept that a medical student pays 1/16 of the cost of study with the government paying the rest and then the student gets the degree and goes to Germany or elsewhere," he said . he.

While it is not possible to ban free movement or force people to stay, he said there are possible plans that would see medical graduates stay in the country to work for a certain period of time.

"For this, of course, we will expand the discussion both with the rectorate and with the community to make the best and fairest possible policy" , he added.

Duke iu referuar veçanërisht mjekëve dhe infermierëve që largohen nga vendi, Rama tha se do të ketë rritje të pagave për mjekët specialistë në 50,000 lekë në muaj (470 euro), me ata që kryejnë më shumë ndërhyrje, konsultime dhe në përgjithësi, më shumë punë, mund të të ndahen më shumë.

Fondet do të ndahen nga buxheti i shtetit, ndërsa pjesa tjetër do të vijë nga autonomia e spitalit.

Në një intervistë për EURACTIV në dhjetor, Rama tha se nuk mund t'i ndalojë njerëzit të largohen nga vendi.

“Asnjëherë nuk kam menduar dhe ende nuk mendoj se është një ide e mirë të besosh dhe lëre më të komunikosh se të rinjtë duhet të qëndrojnë absolutisht këtu, sepse mendoj se ata kanë të drejtë të provojnë dhe duhet të përdorin lirinë e tyre. , dhe është absolutisht në dorën e tyre”, tha Rama.

He added that it is important for the youth to return as they bring with them a different mentality that the country can benefit from.

"These people come back with a different mentality, they come with experience, they open enterprises, they do things differently and they make successes," he said, adding that it is also important to improve conditions at the local level.

Albania will go to the polls on May 14 to elect mayors and local representatives across the country.