Speaking in a meeting with pensioners, Rama said the funding follows what he described as a recent crisis in oncology services and is aimed at reinforcing hospital capacity and drug supply.

“Following the oncology crisis, we have focused on this area and, through a budget amendment, allocated 15 million euros specifically for oncology drugs,” Rama said, adding that additional health sector financing is also planned.

He said improvements in healthcare infrastructure must now be matched by higher service quality and better pharmaceutical provision.

Rama also said the government is preparing a three-year plan aimed at significantly improving the quality of healthcare services, adding that reforms will be implemented in cooperation with international partners.

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The first patient has already been successfully treated using the new equipment, according to the Health Ministry.

The investment is expected to significantly increase the capacity of the hospital’s radiotherapy unit and improve treatment quality through the use of modern technologies and high-precision techniques. Authorities are also working to introduce brachytherapy services and install a fourth linear accelerator.

Speaking during an inspection visit to the oncology hospital, Sala said the new accelerator and the implementation of advanced treatment modules would enhance the unit’s capabilities and enable more precise and effective interventions for patients.

She also praised cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), citing its support in supplying modern equipment and strengthening professional capacities through the training of medical staff and physicists.

“The programme to improve oncology services is progressing very well. We have upgraded the two existing accelerators, brachytherapy will be introduced soon, and funding has also been allocated for a fourth linear accelerator,” Sala said.

The minister also inspected the hospital’s day chemotherapy unit, where patients are currently receiving treatment in upgraded facilities under scheduled appointment systems aimed at improving patient flow and service organisation.

The radiotherapy unit currently treats around 140 patients per day using two linear accelerators. With the addition of the third machine, daily treatment capacity is expected to rise to around 200 patients.

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New chemotherapy rooms and improved conditions for patients at the hospital’s wards mark just the initial step toward ensuring safe and decent treatment for all citizens, Prime Minister Edi Rama said on social media on Monday.

The government head shared images from the Oncology Hospital at the University Hospital Centre, noting that the transformation continues under the oversight of Health Minister Sala, who is also a renowned figure in the academic world of cancer treatment.

The investment in new chemotherapy facilities is a result of cooperation between the Ministry of Health and its partners, representing an important step toward providing safer, more comfortable, and adequate care for patients.

For the first time, the 2026 national budget includes reimbursement for all anticancer medications for patients treated at this hospital, increasing the healthcare fund by 1.5 billion lek and providing stronger support for treatment.

Meanwhile, the Oncology Hospital has begun implementing new digital services, including electronic prescriptions and electronic patient files, improving treatment tracking and management for every patient.

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Speaking from the newly inaugurated chemotherapy rooms, Sala said improving conditions at the Oncology Hospital at Mother Teresa University Hospital Centre in Tirana through expanded facilities and services was a priority of the Health Ministry.

“Improving conditions at the Oncology Hospital through additional treatment rooms and services is only the first step toward ensuring safe and adequate care for patients,” Sala said, adding that efforts to secure the supply of oncology medicines were continuing.

The investment in the new chemotherapy facilities was carried out through cooperation between the Health Ministry and partner organisations, and aims to provide patients with safer, more comfortable and more dignified treatment conditions.

In a video message posted on social media, Sala said that from her first day in office, oncology services had been identified as a priority.

She said the expansion of facilities was part of a broader reform, noting that work was continuing in parallel to ensure access to oncology medicines.

“For the first time, the 2026 budget has planned reimbursement for all anticancer drugs for patients treated at this hospital,” Sala said. “The fund has been increased by 1.5 billion lek, creating more comprehensive support for treatment.”

At the same time, the Oncology Hospital has begun implementing new digital services, including electronic prescriptions and electronic patient files, aimed at improving the monitoring and management of treatment for each patient.

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MP Spahia, who chairs Parliament’s Health and Social Welfare Committee, accused the Socialist government of neglecting the Oncology Hospital at Tirana’s University Hospital Centre (QSUT). He claimed the situation had worsened steadily over the past 12 years.

Citing a report by the State Supreme Audit Institution, Spahia said nearly half of the authorized anticancer drugs had never been imported and many hospital pharmacies still listed expired medicines as active.

“The report presents a bleak picture of the oncology service, where essential and therapeutic medicines and medical devices are missing,” Spahia told Parliament’s plenary session. He described the findings as evidence of “criminal incompetence and corruption”.

He added that inspection authorities had failed to carry out checks for three years and that penalties for suppliers who delayed deliveries had not been enforced.

Spahia accused the government of systematically underfunding oncology drugs while increasing spending on public-private concession contracts. “Instead of investing in medicines, equipment and hospital conditions, the government has preferred propaganda,” he said.

The opposition MP called for a parliamentary inquiry into the implementation of the audit’s recommendations and for legal guarantees ensuring uninterrupted supply of essential medicines.

Parliament’s Socialist majority voted down the opposition’s request for a debate with Health Minister Evis Sala.

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