Kosovo is being left without doctors, within 6 months over 100 of them left the country

The chairman of the Kosovo Medical Oda, Plerat Sejdiu, considering the departure of doctors from SSKKUK as a major concern, says Kosovo has failed to compile a real strategy for human resources.

Sejdiu says specialists from Kosovo are also leaving because of poor conditions for professional schooling.

Now you're going over the number that we've proposed for this year was 200 to 210 by the end of the year, now in the first six months, we've only got 108 that just got the paperwork ready, the certificate for Ethiopian-professional purity, that when they leave... We expect that by the end of the year, there are probably over 220 young doctors primarily because there are about 7-8 specialists, there are over 36 specialists, and others are graduating doctors, and that's an alarm and there's no good prognosis... The three main reasons continue to remain the same as from last year, leading the working conditions, quality and conditions of professional schooling and third is payment... The only solution is a serious investment in health, I'm not just talking about equipment, I'm talking about investment as a human resource, as in the defined profile of hospitals that unfortunately nobody is taking seriously... In Kosovo it is completely failing to compile a real strategy for both human and general health resources and there are no real health policies”, Sejdiu stressed.

Kosovo Health Minister Rifat Latifi considers the root health problem for Kosovo.

But although it is said that he is working on creating better conditions for health professionals, Latifi points out that he will never be able to prevent this brain drain phenomenon to 100%.

The decision of a doctor or a nurse to stay in Kosovo or go abroad is very complex, to change all elements, to build all the quality centers and all the programs that our strategy and government has ahead, we will not be able to stop 100% the removal of doctors from one country to another. I'm very interested in stopping it all, but that's never gonna happen. I'm interested that the welfare of our doctors, nurses, our labs, our scientists, has been at the right level possible, but I'm very interested that these people we have experts outside the country, we bring back here... (the doctor's departure) this is the root health problem of Kosovo”, Latifi noted.

The best solution to preventing doctors from leaving Kosovo, according to Kosovo University Clinical Hospital Service Director Valbon Krasniqi, is adoption of the wage law.

“What is most needed is the wage law where health workers will be secured and guaranteed a winter salary in relation to the schooling they have accomplished and the work they do in healthcare to patients that will be the best way and the best signal for health workers to become aware that they are needed and should stay in their country to provide health services. It is the right of each individual, both doctors and nurses, to reach out for the best possible for their professions and their families. But, what we need most in this phase is the adoption of the wage law where health workers would find their deserved”, he said.

Concerned about the removal of health professionals from the public sector is also expressed by the Association for the Protection of Patients' Rights.

Kodra's belief, by this association, stresses for Kosovo that as a result of the doctor's departure, the waiting lists are increasing and the quality of health services is dropping. It requires the state to improve the conditions of health workers.

This certainly causes difficulties because it will increase waiting lists on the other side of citizens who have health needs can't accomplish them as a result of the lack of staff that needs to meet those needs, and this certainly affects the general health of citizens, though not even life expectancy. The state should think about it and work to increase quality health services and working conditions for those health workers so they can work here for the mission that has been educated and need patients”, Kodra stressed.