“Every citizen who accesses services in health centers, outpatient clinics and reconstructed hospitals in a large part of our cities is witness to groundbreaking developments that will not stop this year. And there is a fact that clearly shows the difference in support for health care over the last 8 years. It is the stubborn figure of the health budget increase during two terms of office. 85% increase, increasing public funding and reducing spending out of the citizens’ pockets for health care, ” said Manastirliu.

Outlining the draft budget for health and social protection for 2022, Manastirliu said that the focus will be on management of the pandemic and mitigation of post-COVID-19 impact.

“There are 7 billion ALL more for the protection of citizens’ health and mitigation of pandemic and post-COVID impact,” dedicating 2.7 billion to the anti-COVID vaccination rollout. To support the strategy of testing, tracking, surveillance, health care in the primary and tertiary health system, medicines and medical materials needed for all hospital structures, the 2022 budget supports the strengthening of the national Medical Emergency service program, which has shown tremendous efficiency in managing the pandemic. The excellent service which responded to 130 thousand calls and missions per year will continue to be strongly supported by this budget, ” said Manastirliu.

Speaking about public-private partnership programs, Manastirliu said that nearly 1 million citizens access free services by financing these partnerships for services that account for only 7.5% of the total health budget.
Speaking about the financing of primary health services, Manastirliu said that “we finance the reimbursement free of charge for more than 450 thousand citizens, for the chronically ill, including the anti-COVID package for outpatient treatment. For the first time, the eye care package for children aged 4-14 will be funded as a free universal care program for over 300 thousand children. We will continue to provide free of charge medical packages, including dialysis, kidney transplantation, the whole package of cardiology and cardiosurgery, radiotherapy, cataract surgery for over 15 thousand patients per year. “.

Minister of Health and Social Protection, Ogerta Manastirliu, stated that the support for doctors and nurses will continue even in the 2022 budget, providing another salary increase for all health personnel.
Manastirliu said that the 2022 budget will finance 27 billion and 850 million ALL for social protection programs, expanding the social shield for the needy. The 2022 budget envisages an increase in the amount of cash assistance for each family part of this scheme, envisaging the largest increase for the vulnerable families.

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