TIRANA, April 28 /ATA/ – An Italian-Albanian initiative promoting disease prevention and public health awareness moved forward on Tuesday as the health ship “La Nave della Salute” docked in Durres.
The project, launched by the One Health Foundation, brings preventive and healthcare services closer to passengers travelling across the Adriatic.
The Ministry of Health said the initiative focuses on prevention not as a one-off check, but as a broader approach combining screening, information, research, training and professional cooperation.
Health Minister Evis Sala visited the ship, where facilities have been adapted for medical examinations, and met Italian medical teams. She said the partnership adds value to public health and helps strengthen medical capacities, particularly ahead of the tourist season.
Sala, who previously worked in clinical medicine and research, including at Rome’s Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic, said prevention should become a cornerstone of Albania’s healthcare system.
Rossana Berardi, president of the foundation and president-elect of Italian Association of Medical Oncology, said the stop in Albania could pave the way for more structured cooperation, including in oncology, linking the two countries.
The third edition of the initiative brings 17 doctors and 10 ambulances on board, offering preventive check-ups over two days for passengers on the Ancona–Durres route.
A memorandum of understanding is expected to be signed between Marche Polytechnic University and the University of Medicine in Tirana to promote joint research, teaching and healthcare cooperation.
Further activities, including expert exchanges and training programmes for young doctors, are planned in the coming weeks.
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