Reforming the System for Better Health Management and Services
Expanding Continuing Medical Education
With Swiss support 12,000 nurses and midwives throughout Albania will participate in continuing medical education. This is part of a new recertification cycle. The accreditation requirements were made more realistic and achievable, in order to include more of the health workforce.
Master’s Course in Health Management
The legal and institutional arrangements are in place for opening up for the first time in Albania a Master’s course in Health Management at the University of Medicine in Tirana. The Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education have agreed and approved the plan for starting the course.
Improved Conditions of Primary Health Care
In Fier and Dibër a total of 85 general practitioners are now part of quality cercles, where doctors exchange among themselves cases and learn from each other. Moreover, an assessment for rehabilitation of primary health care facilities has taken place and some centres in both region were equipped with necessary medical tools in order to better respond the citizens, but as well tourists during summer time.
Supporting Health Reforms
The Health for All Programme is supporting the core reforms currently underway in Albania including professional development, health governance and financing, and decentralisation of services and functions.
Increasing Access to Quality Health Care for Vulnerable Citizens
Raising Capacities of Health Employees
The programme is building capacities of 200 doctors and 1,000 nurses working at primary level in Fier and Dibër.
Rehabilitating Health Infrastructure
Based on needs assessments the programme intervenes to improve infrastructure in primary public clinics in Dibër and Fier. Essential equipment is provided to in cases when these are not covered by the national health system or the Ministry of Health.
Supporting Health Promotion
Health Promotion enables people to increase their health literacy and improve their own health. It tackles as well underlying causes of health such as the determinants of health as for example environmental issues (air quality, waste, water), sport and public transport, legal frameworks on tabacco, alcohol or food and beverage. The project supports the establishment of a national strategy on health promotion and finds its own strategy in reaching the most vulnerable groups with health promotion messages:
Targeting the Poorest and Most Vulnerable
A bottom-up approach is encouraged in order to stimulate the less advantaged segments of population and to ensure solutions are inclusive. Civil society organisations are involved in health promotion and activities that provide a voice and empower those who feel marginalised by the health system.
