Kosovo anesthesiologists complain, suffering from excessive fatigue syndrome

And the big job, and their small number, is making the work of anesthesiologists at QKUK almost unbearable.

Lulzim Emini, chairman of the Association of Anesthesiologists and Intensivists of Kosovo, has said of “Index”

“Over the period from mid-June, July and August, requirements are very high for conducting various operations. Anesthesiologists are in a position where they should take advantage of the annual holiday, but they have to respond to major demands for performing anesthesiological health services, or conducting operations. This has brought us anesthesiologists into a difficult position because we have to keep custody and in the third night. Care for these that are extremely heavy and difficult. Say and harmful to the health of anesthesiologists. But the work has to be done. I think the current management should be at SHSKUK and at MSH should be thinking about the number of anesthesiologists”, he said.

He even says that QKUK's anesthesiologists staff are continuing to work beyond the limits of patience and that this has caused them to develop excessive fatigue or known as “Burn-out”.

We are in a position when we don't have enough people, to respond to demands that are at the moment. And that drives the staff that is working beyond the limits of patience and the opportunity to do their best every day. And at the end of the year, there will still be operations that will not be performed. And the Anesthesia Clinic and Intensive Medicine staff have already arrived at the Istanbul Burn-Out stage, when professionals are extremely tired and loaded with this work and that this happens for several years -- 11x1>, Emini said.

Emine says QKUK has only 45 anesthesiologists, some of whom are on vacation during the summer, and their work becomes extremely difficult.

“The number of anesthesiologists must be reached at the opimal level or above the optimum, what is in the countries of the region, where the work of anesthesiologists will be facilitated and the quality of services will increase. We expect the actions of those who make decisions. If these actions are slow, then improving the situation will be slow. We have the biggest pressure on patients and we have to respond to them. But we can't do this without increasing the number of anesthesiologists. In 2020 we had the largest number of anesthesiologists 65 to 68, and today we only have 45. The demands have been on the rise. And if there's overloaded health profile in the health system, then there's anesthesiologists”, he said.

Emine says there are numerous complaints by anesthesiologists for the Burn-out syndrome and that if health personnel were to start complaining and seek compensation in court, then it would seriously damage the health budget.

It's always about the Burn-Out syndrome. Because people get tired of being under a lot of work pressure for a long time. Those professionals who have not experienced this volume of work and the pressure of hard work cannot understand this. If it were in Kosovo as it is in other countries, that medical personnel were able to agree with and demand compensation in court, you can imagine what was done with the health budget”, he said.