“There's no sheets. Chemistry in Hematology Hall

Cancer patients at the Kosovo University Clinical Clinic of Hematology face serious conditions in the improvised hall of chemotherapy.

Many are also treated in a dark corridor nearby, without windows, which smells from the toilet.

“The door does not close... My son needs to stay there when I get in the bathroom”, says Sally Mandall, sick of blood cancer.

On the days he is treated with chemotherapy, he says he has to stay there for at least four hours.

In the absence of spaces in Hematology, cancer patients have moved to the floor floor of the building, respectively, to a student exercise and legalisation.

Only those who have to receive chemotherapy longer than a few hours a day lie in the clinic.

Where daily therapy is given, there are 12 beds.

We're already here. We know there are numerous shortages, but these are our conditions”, says the task of director of the Health Clinic, Susan Krasniqi, for Radio Free Europe.

The “has already started building the new clinic object and until it is performed, we will be here”, she adds.

In May, the KKUK court was placed in the Hematoncology Clinic and Nefrocology.

When it ends, it's not clear. The REL contacted the Kosovo Clinical and University Hospital Service on the subject, but its leaders were not available.

According to a description by the Mayo Clinic in the U.S., chemotherapy can also cause considerable side effects and is given mainly in ambunal chemotherapy unit.

The situation in hematology in QKUK is so for months. In the last five, J.M. This woman from Prizren is being treated for some type of blood cancer, and she has to travel some 90km to Pristina almost every week.

All patients who need chemotherapy refer to KKUK, as it is the only health institution in Kosovo that offers this service.

All the worst names you can use for conditions here [in Hematology]. It's horrible”, says Y.M.

There's no fresh air, no air conditioning. The temperatures are high, and often it has to stay five hours”, it indicates.

On the day when the hosts shall stand, REL visited this clinic last week in June, he found that some patients also received chemotherapy in chairs because of lack of free beds.

Education Podrim from Drenas, about 40 km from Pristina, had brought his mother to the hospital that day to get his sixth dose of cancer chemotherapy. He said that in addition to severe conditions, expectations are too long.

We came here at 7:30 and until 9:30 they didn't start giving therapy. But we must take the place. By 2:30, we won't be able to get out of here”, he said.

Despite difficulties, services continue.

“We are in the service of patients as much as we have access to”, says the task exercise director of Hematology, Susan Krasniqi.

According to data from this clinic, 203 new cancer cases have been recorded in the past year alone. On average, services are given over 270 patients.

In May of this year, renovation of the Oncology Clinic has been inaugurated, where only patients with different types of cancer are treated.

With only 60 beds, however, there are often long receptions.

The waiting challenges confront patients of other QKUK clinics as well as serious conditions.

There's nothing we can do as staff. We give our best to help patients”, says a nurse in Hematology, who cares for about ten patients a day. / REL/