Author: Aurora Shpataj
Fatimja is expecting to become a mother. Just like 35 residents of Mallakastra, the woman also has to attend to any health concern at the "Sherif Klosi" municipal hospital. But even this hospital, like any other municipal hospital, is expected to reduce the medical Services it offers, due to the shrinking population. So the couple has planned to give birth to the child in another hospital.
" There are many things missing here. For a while the echo was missing and when I wanted to have a consultation about my child's health it was broken. At least that's what they told me ," the young woman told Sinjalizo.
According to the information stated on the condition of anonymity by the medical staff inside the hospital, it is expected that the maternity ward will soon be out of order due to the lack of births.
" There is no birth and we have been informed that it will be transformed into a health consultation," claims one of the hospital doctors.
Another reason that is leading to the closure of the maternity ward is the lack of personnel. " The maternity ward lacks an anesthesiologist, he has to come from Fier in case there is a birth. So he has to be notified in advance. But, this is impossible, because it could happen that I have a premature birth, then what will happen to me and my baby?! Will we both die waiting for the anesthesiologist ?" - says Mrs. Fatime, who is in her fifth month of pregnancy.
Fatimja says that because of these problems that have caused her fear, she plans to give birth in the Fier hospital.
" I will give birth in the Fier hospital. In the maternity hospital here, I only do basic consultations. I attend everything else in Fier ," concludes Fatima, who is expecting to become a mother for the second time.
The lack of medical staff is reinforced by an obstetrician-gynecologist who works at the "Queen Geraldine" maternity hospital in Tirana. According to him, the main factors why pregnant women choose to give birth in regional hospitals such as Durrës, Tirana, etc., are related to the lack of staff.
" The lack of an anesthesiologist is the primary factor that sends mothers to regional hospitals. This is because a gynecologist cannot enter the room without an anesthesiologist because unplanned complications may arise during childbirth. Another element is the lack of an obstetrician that forces these mothers to go to regional hospitals for childbirth ."
A gynecologist writes the same concern on the "Sinjalizo" platform.
" The same situation exists in my hometown of Gramsh. The lack of staff leads them to choose central hospitals. The fear that due to the lack of staff, the child may be born with problems or the risk of losing the life of the child or the mother leads them to abandon municipal hospitals ."
The doctor tells about "Sinjalizo", the other reason that is bringing about the closure of maternity hospitals in the districts.
" The departure of young people abroad also affects. The phenomenon of the decrease in the number of births has also affected large cities such as Tirana, Durrës, Fier. I say this based on my experience of over 15 years as a gynecologist ," explains the well-known doctor after being contacted for further details.
The decrease in the number of births is also expressed by INSTAT in its report of 2022, where for the first time during 2021 the natural increase of the population (birth-death) was -3.296 inhabitants, marking for the first time a negative natural increase. Also in the report it is emphasized that during 2021, 27.284 babies were born, suffering a decrease of 2,8%, compared to the previous year.
Mallakastra Hospital, with partial Services for residents
Currently, according to Dr. Kastriot, who works as an external physician at the "Sherif Klosi" municipal hospital, only first aid is offered there.
" We provide primary service here, that is, emergency cases. We send the rest to Fier ."
According to the doctor, the hospital is divided into several buildings with relevant Services.
" In the hospital we have different wards such as: pathology, pneumology, nephrology, microsurgery, laboratory. But the laboratory only offers blood and urine tests. So it needs to be supplemented with other examinations ."
Four doctors are employed in this hospital
" 2 are internal, 2 external, one of which is me. We have 4 nurses on shift and 2 laboratory technicians ," the doctor further explains.
Asked by "Sinjalizo" about the investments in the hospital, the doctor said that " The reconstruction was done on the facade, that is, in painting and in paintings. Several paintings were done in the building. Also, to my knowledge, 2 ambulances were added. That's how much reconstruction was done by the state ," says the doctor.
Meanwhile, from the observation in the field it is understood that the number of patients who are directed to the municipal hospital was low. In the best case, an elderly person appeared there to consult for small medical Services, such as making a needle, performing a serum, etc. During the interviews with the white shirts that provide service at the hospital, it was shown that there are no hospitalized patients in this hospital.
" There are 20 beds in total in the hospital, but we do not have any hospitalized patients ," the doctor on duty officially confirms to Sinjalizo.
However, the doctor who has decided to report the problems in the hospital lists in detail what is missing.
" Mammography is missing, which means patients are sent to the Fier hospital. In this hospital, mammography comes once every three months, from those mobile mammograms. But I can't wait three months, also because of the typology of the disease. So if I suspect that a patient has cancer, I recommend that they go to the Fier hospital to have it done. But even there, there are difficulties because there are long lines, so patients end up in private hospitals ," the doctor concludes for "Sinjalizo".
"Sinjalizo" asked for official information through the official request for information addressed to the Ministry of Health and the municipal hospital "Sherif Klosi", but until the publication of this article, no official response was given by them.
