July 11 protest/ Ilir Alimehmeti, accusations against the government for the health system

2024-07-11 11:33:00, Politikë CNA

Ilir Alimehmeti

The head of the Department of Health in the Democratic Party, Ilir Alimehmeti, called today from the blue headquarters to participate in the protest that will take place in front of the Prime Minister's Office.

He threw accusations at the Rama government, after he said that there is a lack of doctors in Albania, there is a lack of funding for health, medicines and services.

Today's protest is expected to start at 20:00 in front of the Prime Minister's Office.

The statement of the head of the health department in DP, Ilir Alimehmeti:

Friends, citizens!

1. Since the beginning of time, the governing model "Rama" came into force with the lie of "Free Health". And now every citizen clearly knows how free this healthcare is.

Fully 60% of health expenses come directly from the citizen's pocket, WHO reports at the end of 2023, the highest level in Europe, after 10 years of implementation of "Free Health".

Because in fact, their governing model has this vision.

2. They promised that they would bring public health spending to 5% of the Gross Domestic Product and after 11 years of writing the budget themselves, this value is only 2.78% of GDP.

• The lowest level of public spending in Europe.

• They can't even reach the 3% level, not even the 5% level.

• Not that they can't, but that they don't want to.

• They want the citizens to pay.

• Because this is the vision of their governing model.

3 And this little money they have decided, where does it go? Where does this governance model lead? Over 455 million euros have so far ended up in their pockets through the scheme of four concessions in health.

4. I remind my friends that thanks to this governing model, while you alone faced the COVID-19 pandemic by paying out of pocket for every expense, test, examination and treatment, not only did they scoff at claiming that the reimbursement of expenses was only 40 euros per patient, but they claimed to be the best pandemic managers in the world.

a. But the international work group led by the University of Washington clearly showed that by the end of 2021, 17,300 Albanians had lost their lives, over 5 times more than the Ministry of Health claimed until then.

b. And this number has exceeded 20,000 by the end of the pandemic, making Albania one of the 10 countries with the worst management in the world, thanks to the vision of their governing model.

5. Furthermore, this governing model is based on the creation of limited capacities.

a. Limited human resources capacities. And we know very well how many doctors and nurses have already left Albania, causing us to have the lowest number of doctors per capita in Europe according to the WHO and to have endless areas without doctors.

b. Limited service capacities. And we know very well how certain services of public hospitals are not systematically performed to create spaces for exploitation and abuse.

c. Limited medication capacities. And we know very well how expenses for drug reimbursement fell by a quarter: from 2.1% of total budget expenses in 2013, to 1.6% in 2024.

And, while the reimbursement fund has decreased by 3.4% of the total expenditure of FSDKSH, from 24% in 2019, to 20.6% in 2023, the expenses for concessions increased by 2% of the total expenditure of FSDKSH, from 7% to 9 %. So clearly, your drug reimbursement money is going into their pockets.

Because this is the vision of their governing model.

It is precisely this governance model, which is based on the creation of shortages, that has placed concessions and benefits at the center of their vision and the patient at the periphery.

And to turn a blind eye to people who have not systematically received health services for years, demonizes the health personnel, the last on the list in terms of responsibility, since the key rule of responsibilities is that responsibilities go upwards.

And this should make us see clearly the fact that we currently have two former Ministers of Health of the Rama 1, Rama 2 and Rama 3 governments in SPAK for corruption and abuse of office.

And instead of apologizing publicly for the failures of their governing model, Rama has been gathering doctors for several days and instead of discussing with them how to solve the collapse in health and repair this problematic model, he threatens the doctors with repressive measures.

We are well aware of this model that he has implemented since coming to power in 2013 and that has never produced a solution.

Well this contemptuous pattern for life and health must be opposed my friends!

The right to health must be protected!

The right to life must be protected!

For these reasons, I invite you all to the protest on July 11!

Let's protest in the name of health!

Let's protest in the name of life!/ CNA