Dozens of useless devices cover dust at University Clinical Center

Some would do jobs but do not. Others have been misled.

Tens of medical equipment, which have been used during the COVID-19 pandemic, have been closed at the University Clinical Centre in Kosovo for more than two years.

THE REL provided access to the Clinic of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, where it saw that half of the third floor is filled with powdered devices from oxygen to those that convey heart activity.

From the Kosovo Hospital Clinical and University Service (SHSKUK), which oversees QKUK and regional hospitals say the solution to these devices will be found “within weeks”, but do not give details about why it has not been found so far.

“has completed display of devices. Of the bio-medical units, it is required that the list be distributed to all units in SKKKU and where it needs to be sent and used”, Free Europe Elvir Aziz, director of the SHSKUK, tells Radio.

Free Europe Radio contacted some of Kosovo's regional hospitals to ask if they need equipment that stays out of place at QKUK.

Seeing photos of a doctor at the Gjilan General Hospital confirmed that some equipment there “can be used” this hospital without specifying more.

They also confirmed at Prizren Hospital.

While in Gjakova said no, doctors in Vushtrri and South Mitrovica said they are not informed about the collection of equipment that is not used and that they are awaiting the USKKUK registry.

Speaking to Radio Free Europe, some doctors at the Physic Medicine and Rehibilisation Clinic said that “unblocking a third-floor piece of equipment prevents the management of” of this clinic.

Apart from the used device, there are new equipment packages with which clinics are supplied within the University Clinical Centre of Kosovo.

This center doesn't have a designated storage facility, or those used, which are currently not used.

Before 2020, some of these reserves were stored in the basement of the Pulmology Clinic, but they left because some of them were damaged by the floods.

Many of the equipment staying at the Physical Medicine Clinic have been donations to Kosovo, but there are also targets that have been bought by the Ministry of Health and USKKU alone.

After the outbreak of the COVID pandemic-19 in 2020, the Health Ministry has accepted a donation from Japan with about 20 syringe pumps and 10 electrocardiograms that are now out of use.

These were the first piece of equipment from Japan, whose total value amounted to about 880,000 euros.

After this donation, Kosovo has benefited others.

The COVID-19 pandemic wave has hit Kosovo during a period in 2020 and another in 2021. The rarest cases have continued in the years that followed.

According to Kosovo's Health Ministry data, over 3 thousand people have lost their lives after being affected by COVID-19 disease, caused by a coronary.

Free Europe Radio, even earlier, has reported inadequate medical equipment systems in USKUK clinics and hospitals. /REL