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WHO: Albania sees no progress in Artificial Intelligence for health

2025-11-20 07:34:01, Aktualitet CNA

Albania has major gaps in artificial intelligence (AI) policies for healthcare, shows a recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO) that addresses the benefits that health services have from the use of AI.

According to the WHO, Albania ranks among the countries with minimal progress in building a safe and functional framework for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. The document highlights that, while other countries are advancing with policies, certifications and patient protection mechanisms, Albania has only one documented element of this framework.

The data shows that Albania has only implemented the certification process for AI systems in healthcare, an important but insufficient step for building trust in the technologies that are transforming medical services. All other areas assessed by the WHO result in no formal policies or procedures.

Specifically, the country has no regulations for the procurement, development, or use of AI systems in medicine, no policies addressing the impact of technologies on the environment, and no mechanisms for auditing and documenting the risks that AI may pose to patients. Likewise, affected citizens and professionals do not have a defined legal pathway to file complaints in the event of harm from an AI system.

The report also notes that Albania has only completed the first step of engagement, consultation with stakeholders, but progress is lacking in the most important areas for building the capacity of professionals. The country lacks training programs in AI skills for health personnel, both pre-employment and in-service. There is also a lack of specialized professional roles in data science or artificial intelligence for the health sector.

According to experts, this gap risks leading to the uncontrolled use of AI technologies in clinics or health facilities, without safety standards, without transparency and without protection mechanisms for patients. WHO recommends that Albania draft a comprehensive regulatory framework, develop procurement and auditing standards, and build professional capacities to cope with the integration of new technologies into the health system.

At a time when artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare services across Europe, the report warns that countries that do not act in time risk being left behind and facing serious challenges in both the quality of care and patient safety. Albania, according to these data, still has a lot of work to do to avoid remaining on the fringes of this transformation./ Monitor