FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
In the public healthcare system, patients continue to face long waits and a lack of basic services. For the first time, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has admitted that after the 20th of each month, testing in public hospitals is suspended, due to budgetary constraints on the part of the concessionaire.
Minister Evis Sala has promised that this situation will be resolved within the year. However, the reality on the ground presents itself differently.
At the Berat hospital, patients are not only facing delays of several days, but also waiting up to four months for vital tests. For many citizens, this situation puts them in a difficult choice: wait while risking their health, or turn to private services, which are often economically unaffordable.
The investigative show Fiks Fare brings the case of 80-year-old Qani Arapaj, who suffers from prostate cancer and needs surgery. After an urgent visit, doctors recommended surgery, but first he needs to undergo some necessary tests.
The problem lies in the waiting time for these tests, Qaniu has to wait up to four months. If he does not wait, the only alternative is to have them done privately, at a cost of about 24 thousand old lekë, an unaffordable amount for a pensioner.
"I am 80 years old and have been suffering from prostate for months. The doctor told me that I need surgery, but asked me for some tests. When I went to have them done, they told me to wait four months. But my job doesn't wait. They told me: if you don't wait, go to a private hospital. I am a pensioner and I can barely afford the medication," says Qani Arapaj.
In a telephone conversation, hospital representatives stated that patients should wait their turn unless the case is considered urgent, adding that an attempt may be made to bring the test date closer by a month, but not earlier.
After Fiks Fare's intervention, Qaniu was assigned a closer date for the tests, specifically May 1, 2026. Although not an ideal solution, this remains a relief for him.
His case highlights a deep-seated problem in the system, such as limited access to basic health services and inequality between those who can pay and those who cannot./ Fiksfare
Lini një Përgjigje