Oncology Scandal/ DP MPs write to the Ministry of Health

2025-10-02 17:30:00, Politikë CNA

The report of the Supreme State Audit Office has revealed another scandal at Oncology.

The KLSH report covering the years 2021-2025, published yesterday, stated that vital drugs for patients with tumor diseases have been mismanaged or have been in short supply for long periods of time.

In relation to this report, the Democratic Party deputies today submitted a letter to the Mandatory Health Insurance Fund and the Ministry of Health, requesting information regarding the situation at the Oncology Department.

In the request signed by MPs Albana Vokshi, Jorida Tabaku, Denisa Vata, Greta Bardeli, Ina Zhupa, etc., 5 questions are posed regarding the situation.

Democratic MPs write in the request that negligence cannot be allowed to distance themselves from the fact that some people should take medication and others should not.

Further, the deputies state that it is discrimination against women and girls facing cancer.

MPs' questions

1. Is the Ministry of Health and Social Protection aware of the situation at the Oncology Hospital, regarding the lack of functioning of bacteriotherapy or other vital services, and the lack of reimbursement of immunotherapy for gynecological cancer? If so, what measures has the Ministry of Health and Social Protection taken regarding this situation and how effective do you think these measures are in ensuring the restoration of the functioning of bacteriotherapy as well as reimbursement for immunotherapy for gynecological cancer?

2. What measures will the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs take to ensure full financial coverage of medications for the therapeutic treatment "with Pembrolizumab immunotherapy" for women diagnosed with uterine cancer, starting from the end of September until the end of the year? Will it enable financial reimbursement of the costs of the therapeutic treatment "with Pembrolizumab immunotherapy" for patients who have been forced to receive it unreimbursed until now?

3. What measures does the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs plan to take in order to ensure bone marrow transplants for children in Albania? When will this service be accessible to all pediatric patients?

4. Will the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs request from the Council of Ministers for the next budget year 2026 the necessary funding for the bacteriotherapy service and other services, as well as a special fund for the full reimbursement of drugs or therapeutic treatment of patients with gynecological cancer?

Unfortunately, this is not the only drama that continues to be played out at the Oncology Hospital in QSUNT. For more than two months, brachytherapy, a vital and necessary treatment for women with gynecological cancer, has not been functioning in Albania. This is an irreplaceable treatment.

Therefore, in the absence of this equipment, dozens of patients are being left without proper treatment, while time is more precious to them than anything else.

In this context, in fulfillment of the functions of the status of deputy according to legal definitions, we request exhaustive information and specifically:

1. What is the financial value used for reimbursement for therapeutic treatment "with Pembrolizumab immunotherapy" of cancer patients, projected for 2025? What has this financial value been for the last 3 years 2022-2024?

2. How many patients per year are expected to be reimbursed for therapeutic treatment with "Pembrolizumab immunotherapy"?

3. What is the financial difference from the fund for medicines and medical equipment that were not used by citizens for reimbursement during 2024?

4. What is the average financial value of the annual reimbursement of drugs for a patient with tumor disease?

5. What is the financial value of the annual reimbursement for drugs for a patient with gynecological cancer (cervical cancer)?