IML almost dysfunctional since the disappearance of Astri Dehari samples

Since December, when the disappearance of Astrit Dehar samples occurred, the toxicology laboratory is almost out of place. During March, however, expectations are for this laboratory to function as the new lab director is already appointed at the Law Medicine Institute (IML) and four suspended employees have been returned to work.

In addition, IML faces a lack of staff of legal doctors, lacking the interest of young doctors in the field.

Deputy Director of the Institute of Legal Medicine Ditor Haliti says the toxicology laboratory is operating only for emergency cases mainly for accepting samples.

As the main challenge to this institution, he stresses lack of staff in all areas of legal medicine.

The Legal Medicine Institute faces challenges every day in terms of functioning and in terms of the lack of sufficient staff we have in all areas. Also, we are at a transition stage from an old organization to new interior and which presents a challenge for us and needs to be addressed in the coming period... The December Toxicology laboratory is not functioning properly, respectively, is operating on capacity only limited in the sense of accepting only samples that are being taken from the autopsy room, while working in the laboratory except for any emergency case that we have not had so far is not being carried out in the sense of realisation of toxicological analysis”, he points out.

Haliti hopes that the toxicology lab, which is almost out of place, will be back to work in March of this year.

He says how IML does not have any information regarding Asttri Dehari samples, but that investigations are continuing on the Special Prosecutor's side.

“We hope that now, with the arrival of a new lab director, the laboratory will begin functioning and introduction of samples into use as soon as possible... we have a working plan on how to refunction the laboratory and we hope that within February, but within March, it will begin gradual functioning of the laboratory in terms of the introduction of the samples in use by then we have work in the laboratory in terms of equipment maintenance because it has not been functioning in a time and must now be properly introduced... One has returned technical to the laboratory, two chemists and forensic toquistologist and they have returned to work with a decision by the Ankes Commission, but they still have no access to the labs until this situation continues for the Saning and maintenance of the” lab, Halili says.

The numerous shortages in each area of this unit, according to Halit, have turned into cargo for current staff.

We don't have enough doctors and each of the legal doctors in addition to their work should cover another field of work in the IML, somebody has to do management work, someone has to cover up the field of anthropology, hetopatology, someone is engaged in the educational-asservative process so that all doctors besides primary work have another job or field to cover it, that presents us with difficulty at work, and I said with this new organization that this is supposed to be the biggest challenge, because doctors are also expected to cover the scene and the post office will also be set up for some new doctors to be present. Taking into account the number of doctors we have this for us will be a big challenge”, says IML Deputy Director.

Haliti points out that low interest by young doctors in specialized legal medicine has led to these difficulties.

He considers that a greater promotion of their work is needed in order to make young doctors aware of this delicate field.

The main problem in this case is the lack of applying or coming new frameworks into the field of legal medicine, in terms of young doctors who would express interest in obtaining a forensic specialization... There's not enough interest in certain individuals because we're in touch with young doctors, there's little interest to say because they see legal medicine a little bit more serious than other medical fields may see with even less perspective, but on the one hand it's also our fault that we should promote the work of legal medicine as a major link in the chain that can contribute to all society in Kosovo. It is up to us to promote our work, to degree our work, and to stimulate and stimulate young people to apply to the specialization of forensics”, Haliti considers.

The deputy director of the Law Medicine Institute appeals to the institutions responsible for making a literal planning of the quartnels.

The time will come when it will be more urgent because the staff we have is getting older, the time will come for someone to retire so that they have to be replaced, at the moment we manage and cover the needs we have now, but the time will come when we can't cover them, then the urgent work will be done. I had appealed for this situation to be overcome by making now literal planning of frameworks that would later meet these needs”, he says.

Last December 8th of last year, 12 samples of Astrit Dehar have disappeared from the Toxicology laboratory at the Institute of Legal Medicine.