TIRANA, Sept 15 /ATA/ -A specialised dental care programme will be launched for around 11,000 children with disabilities, Health and Social Welfare Minister Klodiana Spahiu said on Tuesday.
Speaking during a visit to the Jorgji Dilo nine-year school in the central Albania city of Elbasan, Spahiu said the programme would initially be piloted in the central Albanian city before being rolled out to 12 regional hospitals.
The programme is part of broader government efforts to strengthen healthcare and support services for children with disabilities and their families, with a focus on prevention, early diagnosis and access to specialised care.
An agreement with the University Dental Clinic has been finalised, and implementation of the specialised dental screening and treatment programme is expected to begin by the end of the year, Spahiu said.
The service will be provided by teams including dentists and anaesthesiologists and intensivists working at regional hospitals across the country.
Training healthcare professionals will also be a key component of the programme, aimed at ensuring that dental care and treatment are adapted to the specific needs of children with disabilities, she said.
Spahiu also highlighted the National Child Scoliosis Screening Programme, saying a priority would be to establish a unified national protocol covering not only screening but the full care pathway, from referral and diagnosis through to treatment of identified cases.
The measures form part of efforts by the government and the Health and Social Welfare Ministry to expand national prevention and early-care programmes for children.
/e.i/j.p/u.sh/
