Enver Hoxha's personal physician relates “The dictator's” secrets

Enver Hoxha's medical card likely remained in the hands of his family after his death in 1985. Prof. Isuf Kalo, former personal doctor of dictator Enver Hoxha, tells how the health situation of communist leaders was pursued before the years of dealt with, and in particular, that of the number one state.

Kalo reports that senior state directors were treated at a special clinic, where relevant documentation was preserved but a minister was established in his home environment for Enver Hoxha. In the service of Enver Hoxha, a team of the best Albanian doctors was also established as they conducted consultations with foreign, Chinese, and French doctors.

Yes, in the nursery created in the dictator's villa, his medical records were preserved, which came out of the safe only on occasions of consultation. Cal relates how they were developed, how notes were kept, and how Enver Hoxha's diagnosis was treated as a secret of a very high degree.

This was a request from Enver Hoxha herself, and it was Sulo Gradec who made sure that this secret was preserved. Kalo says that until the change of systems, the health documentation of Enver Hoxha and his family was inside his home, but it cannot tell what their destiny is afterwards.

Prof. Cal, you were Enver Hoxha's personal physician, how was his health treated, not just his, but his entire leadership?

For the entire leadership, including members of the Political Bureau, members of the Government, members of the Presidentium of the People's Assembly, the Democratic Front, members and candidates of the Party's Central Committee, had a special clinic called special clinic or small clinic, which was according to the Kremlin model for Soviet leaders. This clinic was dependent on the Ministry of Health and the framework on it was paid like all other doctors.

What services did this clinic offer besides visits?

These included examinations, the biochemical laboratory, and the electrocardiogram, X - ray, was performed. That clinic also had a 2-3-bed annex, when one of the leaders needed to lay down. There was also an operating room, where operations were performed, a dental cabinet, and a pharmacy. This was the architecture of the clinic.

And the relevant documentation, the folders for everyone, was it preserved in this clinic?

These individuals were followed and had special cards in this clinic, along with family members who lived with them, which meant that when someone got married and left the family, he might as well have lost his card, but this did not always happen. Their cards were preserved there.

When did you become a doctor of leadership?

I've been working there since I finished medical school. I was 22 years old, and I was available to all of this accounting. Then, in 1971, a somewhat more special treatment began for the main cast, Enver, Mehmet, and Hysun, who was assigned a personal physician but only theoretically, since practically, you would all be. However, they had a more special focus. I followed them and their family members. Their folders were in that clinic, locked in a vault, and used whenever they visited, adding medical notes.

When was Enver Hoxha's personal physician appointed?

In 1973, I was appointed a personal physician to Enver Hoxha. Soon after I got there, he had a miocard attack. This resulted in a need for closer health pursuit. At that time his card was at the special clinic like everyone else, but since a daily chase was required to overcome the acute situation but also following the further problems, that card was taken home, where a nursing room was opened. The card was kept in this very nursing facility.

Who had access to it?

She used to go out whenever notes were made on her every time I did consult, or then by a medical team that was created next to her. The team took notes only during the ongoing discussions, but the basic card was always inside Enver's home, as far as I know, the Nxmija card. But, of course, even children. The card was a secret. Enver Hoxha's diagnosis and all leaders were kept secret. It was called a very important secret, even one another. And there were electrocardiograms, X - rays, tests, all related to their health. It's all written on the card, or like I told you, on a special block, that the medical team held. One protocol, during discussions and proposals made.

So Enver Hoxha's medical card is in the hands of his family?

By the time the system changes were made, the card was at home. I don't know if she's in the family or in the archive. Enver, late, after problems came up with Mehmet Shehu, was interested in knowing where his documentation is and did not want access to it either the director of the special clinic or the Minister of the Saint-Site. So somehow, it was always kept secret and it was there. I don't know what happened next with documentation in question, card, operations, medication scheme. There was a nurse who also took notes about treatment. The job has been closed, but for Enver it has become an autopsy and the result has been very consistent with our diagnosis. And the clinical state of the cause of death was marked in detail in the medical report that we released as a medical team, the day of death and published in the newspaper “People's Voice”.

Who did the autopsy?

Our entire team assisted in autopsy. The autopsy was performed by the best anatomopathologist we had, prof. Pebe Beater. We followed the autopsy with great interest. I have appreciated that Najmija as a family allowed this because autopsy is in the family's desire. She showed open, transparent minds. The results of the autopsy have been attached to all diagnosis. Despite his appeal, there was no public transparency for Enver's health, since it was banned when he died, transparency was complete. The report became popular. Keeping the state of health secret was at a disadvantage for us because people weren't prepared and believed that “Enver Hoxha would live as long as mountains”.

You said besides the notes on the card, they'd take notes by themselves, what happened to this material that you wrote?

This material too surrendered there. Enver Hoxha was physically guarded by a large group of guards, led by Sulo Gradec. The latter was assigned to ensure secrecy. We weren't allowed to take notes or journals for Enver Hoxha, which was called a secret, but on our medical team we put together the protocol practice which one of the doctors kept.

It kept notes of what each of us said about a certain situation and the attitude that needed to be maintained, and many times the solutions were some, but each had advantages and disadvantages and had to be drawn to the consensus that any medication we added was approved by all. This made it difficult for me as his personal physician, but it also calmed me down because my subjectivity was averted. It wasn't just a block. The events came quickly, and I learned nothing further. When the changes happened, I was abroad. After Enver's death, I had passed professor at Medical School. I was with the students when the student movement started and the Hoxha family broke off with me as a doctor at the time. There was a nurse, Light Dom, who had the cards, but who took the blocks with the left notes, I don't know. We didn't make records of the dictatorship because that was forbidden.

Were they watching your consultation?

During our discussions, it often happened that Sulo Gradec, what I did not call normal, since despite his duty, he was military and could not always understand the proposals or objections that were made, medical arguments. This created some sort of tension, as you felt surprised by security people, at a time when we had to be focused on medically.

Was there any fear that your arguments could give them political overtones?

If you proposed a drug and someone would say that this causes this side phenomenon or complications, he could interpret as danger. But medicine is risk management, you'll risk something to earn something more. Every drug has a side effect, but these are not always predicted, as long as the goal is good. But of the “fears” that someone can deliberately interpret this, you immediately enter the psychology of self-preservation. Despite Sulo's ill intention, I had even talked to Star Popa about it, even Feyzi Hodza, who was in charge of the complex. But that risks not doing the best you can.

Who were the doctors who made up the team that followed Enver Hoxha's health?

Initially, the team was smaller: Fyzi Hoxha, Star Popa, Nikola Coban, Petrit Gache, was later added Ahmet Kamberi, Sabit Brokaj and Hajro Shyti. It was a willing team. He had a 24 - hour doctor, a cardiologist, who was also accompanied to his office.

I had the pleasure of having permission to move and continue my professional contact at the hospital without being stuck, but it had to be someone else to accompany him.

But I have to tell you that everyone was trusted. Petit Gache was a member of the Central Committee, deputy, a member of the Presidentium of the Popular Assembly, was “Hero of Socialist Labour”, Fyzi Hoxha was MP in 7 legislatures, member of the Academy, Star Popa, academic, MP, later chairman of the parliamentary group Ahmeti and Sabiti became then health ministers, while I continued my personal journey. I did not receive office, and when Enver Hoxha died, I asked to return to the hospital near the sick and the students.

Besides Albanian doctors, did you consult foreign doctors?

When Enver had a heart attack, he also cooperated with us with a Chinese team, despite that the relationship between China and Albania, as he learned later, was not what the public knew and about Enver's health situation has had prof knowledge. Paul Milliez in France, who has helped us in our consultations to clarify new situations that appeared, but never visited Enver, as his doctor. He was a consultant in principle, or recommended to us experts who could consult our doubts about different diagnosiss. (panorama)