TIRANA, Oct  17 /ATA/ The new academic year has started on Monday in all universities countrywide.

Minister of Health and Social Protection, Ogerta Manastirliu, was present at the opening ceremony of new academic year in the University of Medicine. In her address to the medicine students who will sit for the first time in the university’s auditoriums, she said that with the decision to increase the quotas for this academic year, we prepare to meet the needs for medical professionals tomorrow.

“The good news this year is that another 100 students have been added to the Faculty of Medicine, as well as to the Faculty of Medical Technical Sciences, increasing the quotas in our faculties. Our aim is not simply to increase the number of students in universities, but also to gear up to meet the needs for doctors, nurses, and medical science technicians in the future,” said Manastirliu.

In her remarks, Manastirliu said that students have the opportunity to finish their internships in modern facilities, thanks to the investments that the Albanian government has made in all hospitals countrywide, starting with the “Mother Teresa” University Hospital Center.

“Just as we managed to have a first medical bio-simulation laboratory, so much requested by medical students; just as we built the Surgical Hospital equipped with the digital room that serves medical students; just  as we built the depot of pharmaceutical drugs, one of the nuclei  where Pharmacy students can gain hands-on medical experience, just as the investments in the Dental Clinic for dentistry students to carry out their practices, we are about to complete the new Hospital of Internal Diseases and Infectious Diseases, which will also feature  dedicated auditoriums for students,” said Manastirliu.

Minister of Health and Social Protection spoke about transparency and meritocracy in all the processes of academic training of medical students, up to their employment.

/sm/