TIRANA, Sept  12 /ATA/ Albania and the World Health Organization for the European Region have signed a 2-year agreement focused on support for increasing access to universal health coverage, strengthening primary care, responding to health emergencies and promoting health and well-being.

The agreement was signed in Tel-Aviv by the Minister of Health and Social Protection, Ogerta Manastirliu and dr. Hans Kluge, WHO Director for Europe on the eve of the 72nd Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, which is being held in Tel Aviv, Israel.

“We signed the 2-year agreement between the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and the World Health Organization for Europe. This important agreement enables further implementation of all the components laid down in our Action Plan of the National Health Strategy ’20-’30. Very important to specify the component and our major objective of universal health coverage, through increasing access and quality of services, starting from primary care, paving the way for integration of social services with health services. A model that Albania is applying thanks to a strategy, but also a new philosophy to reach out to  communities and respond with integrated health and social services,” said Manastirliu.

Another point under discussion between Minister Manastirliu and dr. Kluge was strengthening of human resources.

“Strengthening human resources is a very important component, and for this, everyone under the stewardship of dr. Hans Kluge will work towards designing a plan, in terms of strengthening human resources, to ensure quality and effective health care for our citizens,” said Manastirliu.

In his remarks, WHO director for Europe, dr. Hans Kluge, praised Albania and put the emphasis on strengthening primary health care.

“The new 2-year agreement contains clear priorities aimed at increasing the potential of primary health care. You are ahead of the curve in the region for leadership and direction in the coordination of health and social services, through primary care. I want to learn from that experience, given that during the COVID pandemic, in many countries regardless of income level, the interaction between social and health services was flawed. Above all, leadership,  a skill you are very good at, is of paramount importance, ” said Kluge.

The 2-year cooperation agreement is a practical framework for cooperation, with the aim of achieving the objectives of the Thirteenth WHO General Program of Work 2009-2013, the European Program of Work 2021-2025: United action for better health in Europe and the national health policies of Albania. Furthermore, to support the efforts, WHO in consultation with member states have adopted the Roadmap for Health and Well-Being in the Western Balkan Countries as an innovative catalyst to promote transformative action and place health at the core of countries’ political agendas.

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