TIRANA, July 7 /ATA/ The HHH (Health Hub Hospital) project was presented in Tirana — a new medical center to be developed by the San Donato group, designed to provide advanced healthcare services in line with European standards. The project entails a modern facility focused on diagnosing and treating complex conditions, with the aim of strengthening Albania’s healthcare system and establishing the country as a regional hub for medical services in the Western Balkans.
Representatives of Albanian and Italian institutions, executives of the San Donato Group, and members of the medical community attended the presentation ceremony. In his remarks, Prime Minister Edi Rama praised the HHH (Health Hub Hospital) project, calling it an important step in the further transformation of Albania’s healthcare system and a new medical destination for the Western Balkans.
At the project presentation, Prime Minister Rama noted that little time had passed since his first meeting with the management level of the San Donato group, when both sides committed to bringing an Italian hospital of excellence to Tirana. He emphasized that the initiative creates a new opportunity for Albanian patients, who until now have often had to seek treatment for complex conditions in Italy, Turkey, or other countries.
“Today we are witnessing a new chapter for Albanian healthcare, as this hospital of excellence will treat complex diseases and introduce new standards into our health system,” Rama said.
The Prime Minister expressed gratitude for the support provided by Angelino Alfano, whom he described as a friend of Albania and a former deputy prime minister and minister of Italy. ‘He has come to Tirana more than once to show his support for Albania, and today he returns to back such an important sector as healthcare,’ Rama said.
Prime Minister Rama also extended special thanks to former EU ambassador to Tirana, Ettore Sequi, whom he described as ‘more Albanian than Italians and more Italian than Albanians,’ praising his contribution to strengthening relations between the two countries. Rama announced that a timeline has been set for the project, with the aim of completing construction of the hospital by the end of autumn 2028.
The Prime Minister also thanked Italy’s ambassador to Albania, Marco Alberti, describing him as a witness to the deepening transformation of Italo‑Albanian relations. According to Rama, ties between Albania and Italy have always been stable and unaffected by political changes in either country, while in recent years they have taken on a new strategic dimension.
Rama emphasized that relations between Albania and Italy have always been excellent. He noted they have never depended on political affiliations or on who was in government in Rome or Tirana, but in recent times they have taken on a fully and deeply strategic character.
Calling HHH a concrete and strategic project, Prime Minister Rama said Albania is at an important moment in the development of its healthcare sector. ‘We need another push forward. We began with infrastructure far below any standard. We have worked hard to rebuild hospitals, open up new realities, and establish new standards in the public health system,’ he stated.
The Prime Minister stressed that major efforts have been undertaken to support doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff, moving from a system struggling with long‑standing problems toward one that is gradually improving. ‘There is still much work ahead, not only to secure a basic level of service, but above all to ensure the quality of care,’ Rama said.
According to the Prime Minister, HHH will not only serve as a healthcare institution but also as a development model for Albania’s system, creating opportunities to expand knowledge and build human capital in the country. ‘This new reality is highly important as a model, a point of reference, and a platform for advancing knowledge and human capital formed in Albania. It will not simply be a hospital of excellence brought from abroad, but a center where excellence creates the conditions for young Albanian doctors and nurses to grow professionally and serve their country within a system that meets the highest European standards,’ Rama declared.
Concluding his remarks, Prime Minister Rama thanked the doctors, nurses, and all healthcare personnel present at the event, stressing that healthcare remains one of the government’s top priorities. ‘Healthcare is a sector full of challenges and difficulties, requiring major investments, continuous reforms, and maximum dedication. But it is also a sector that must rise to meet citizens’ expectations. That is precisely what we are striving to build,’ Rama said.
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