Cardiology in Kosovo with only two doctors

The Cardiurgy clinic at the University Clinical Centre in Kosovo has only two cardiosurgeons. Despite the huge lack of human resources in this clinic, this service is functioning 24 hours a day. In the first six months of this year, 75 heart operations have been conducted.

Kosovo University Clinical Centre information official Shpend Fazliu told Radio Europe Free that despite operations conducted within this clinic, the waiting list continues to be over, due to lack of human resources.

There have been 75 operations in this six-month cardiosurgeon service, since the total number of operations so far has reached 215”.

Of the current statistics, notes the apparent increase in the volume of work in this service, because in 2015, only 28 operations were performed. In 2016, the entire 112 sosh, since in just this six - month period, as noted above, 75 operations were performed”, Fazliu said.

This clinic, from October 2015, has been operated as a whole, after many problems that have conveyed it to the completion of the clinic and staff.

In the Ministry of Health (in the outgoing Government of Kosovo), say heart operations conducted by the functioning of this clinic have saved the state budget over 5m euros.

Faik Hoti, director of the Department of Information at the ministry, says initial problems have been about completing staff, as the wages and conditions KKUK offers have not been acceptable to cardiosurgeons to work there.

But then two of them have accepted, and now this clinic is working. They have recently conducted 215 operations, and if they returned to money that patients would perform abroad, the state would cost over 5m euros”, Hoti points out.

On the other hand, QKUK spokesman Shpend Fazliu said the budget for the Cardiosurgeology Clinic is flawed, since heart operations services are expensive.

“has a waiting list of non-urgent cases, but needs to increase supply with drugs and spending material for this clinic, as the budget limits access to a certain number of operations within this service”, Fazliu said

Health officials say that in October 2015, when even the intensive work of Cardiosurgeology has begun, specialists have also benefited, who have been able to be educated within the institution and are closely involved.