In the public health system, patients continue to face long waits and a lack of basic services. For the first time, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has acknowledged that after the 20th of each month, the performance of tests in public hospitals is suspended due to budget constraints from the concessionaire.
Minister Evis Sala has promised that this situation will be resolved within the year. However, the reality on the ground appears different.
At the Berat hospital, patients are not only facing delays of several days but also waiting up to four months for vital tests. For many citizens, this situation presents a difficult choice: wait while risking their health or turn to private services, often financially unaffordable.
The investigative program Fiks Fare highlights the case of 80-year-old Qani Arapaj, who suffers from prostate issues and requires surgical intervention. After an urgent visit, doctors recommended surgery, but first, he must undergo several necessary tests.
The problem lies in the waiting time for these tests; Qani must wait up to four months. If he does not wait, the only alternative is to have them done privately, at a cost of around 24,000 old lekë, an unaffordable sum for a pensioner.
"I am 80 years old and have been suffering from prostate issues for months. The doctor told me I need surgery but asked for some tests. When I went to have them done, they told me to wait four months. But my condition can't wait. They said: if you don't wait, go private. I am a pensioner and can barely afford my medication," says Qani Arapaj.
In a phone communication, hospital representatives stated that patients must wait their turn if the case is not considered urgent, adding that an effort could be made to bring the test date forward by one month, but no earlier.
After the intervention of Fiks Fare, Qani was given an earlier date for the tests, specifically May 1, 2026. Although not an ideal solution, for him, this remains a relief.
His case highlights a deep-seated problem in the system, such as limited access to basic health services and inequality between those who can pay and those who cannot.