In general hospitals in some municipalities of Kosovo, where patients infected with coronavirus are being treated, there is a lack of health staff. This is what the leaders of these hospitals say to Radio Free Europe. On August 18, the Government of Kosovo approved the decision to increase the health staff that will deal with the management of the pandemic and the immunization process.
The Ministry of Health, in a written response, has told Radio Free Europe that 1,116 health workers will begin work this week. Meanwhile, another 422 doctors and nurses will be recruited soon. The number of patients admitted to the seven general hospitals on September 2 is 799 patients, 682 confirmed with coronavirus and 642 with oxygen therapy. The hospital of Peja leads with the largest number of patients with COVID-19, a total of 210 patients, followed by the hospital of Prizren with 165 patients, Gjilan 138 and Gjakova 125.
Regarding the situation in the Peja hospital, Radio Evropa e Lire has tried to talk to the leaders there, but they have not responded. However, according to the information received by Radio Free Europe in this hospital, due to the large number of patients who are seeking hospitalization, they are working in improvised places. Meanwhile, in the general hospital in Gjakovë, there are sufficient capacities for hospitalization of patients.
The director of this hospital, Hilmi Shala, told Radio Free Europe that they are currently only facing a lack of health staff. This hospital, said Shala, has 175 beds available. The maximum number of bedridden patients has gone up to 140. There are currently 125 bedridden patients. "As for the basic drugs required for the treatment of patients with COVID-19, we have them all available, and oxygen is also available in sufficient quantities. There is sufficient amount of protective material, such as masks, gloves and others. We have a problem with health staff. We have a shortage of nurses", says Shala.
Also, the director of the general hospital in Prizren, Afrim Avdai, told Radio Free Europe that they have enough beds for patients who need hospitalization. However, even in this hospital there is a lack of health staff. "However, the government has recruited new staff and we are waiting for their arrival and systematization in the workplaces", he says. The general hospital of Gjilan is also facing a shortage of health staff, says Ukshin Ismjali, director of this hospital.
"The difficulties are due to the lack of human resources. But we are trying to work with this staff that we have. None of the colleagues have refused additional work and are willing to work. But we believe that the Ministry of Health will act quickly to bring in additional staff", says Ismajali for Radio Free Europe. Kosovo is going through a severe wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
On Thursday, 32 more victims of the coronavirus were confirmed. The Ministry of Health also announced 1.612 positive cases. Due to the increase in the number of people infected with COVID-19, the University Clinical Hospital Service of Kosovo (SHSKUK) has stopped providing some non-emergency hospital services in the surgical rooms.
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