In her remarks, Spahiu stressed that the issues raised in the request for interpellation should be placed within the broader context of the changes undergone by the healthcare system.

Spahiu said that to understand today’s situation, one must recall the past, when services such as haemodialysis, sterilisation and basic check‑ups were organised through concessionary contracts due to the public system’s lack of equipment, infrastructure, staff and technical capacity. She argued that concessions were seen as a way to meet concrete needs and guarantee service delivery.

Spahiu acknowledged that while political debate over past healthcare decisions is legitimate, the situation in 2012 cannot be equated with that of 2026. She noted that 2005 marked a turning point, as the number of haemodialysis patients began to rise rapidly, with the first dialysis service opened at Elbasan Regional Hospital.

Spahiu recalled that in 2011 Albania had reached 284 haemodialysis patients per million inhabitants, still far below international benchmarks. By 2012, the service was available in several regional hospitals, yet the system continued to face technical and infrastructural shortcomings. Public capacities remained insufficient, with the private sector increasingly taking on a larger share of service provision.

Spahiu identified the geographical spread of dialysis services as a major issue, noting that until 2016 patients from Vlora had to travel three times a week to Tirana for four‑hour sessions. She recalled that in 2015 the government launched a public‑private partnership procedure for dialysis in five regional hospitals — Shkodër, Lezhë, Korçë, Vlora and Elbasan — under a 10‑year contract, aimed at bringing the service closer to patients. The minister also underlined the importance of investing in public capacities and the state’s direct assumption of responsibilities.

Spahiu said the key question today is whether the state has built the capacities to assume responsibility for these services, noting that for some the answer is yes. She pointed out that sterilisation has been under the authority of the State Health Inspectorate (OSHISH) since April, while the administration of basic medical check‑ups was taken over directly by the state on 11 September.

During the interpellation, Spahiu pledged to bring a PET/CT scanner to the Oncology Hospital. “In January the Oncology Institute will begin operating. At the start of 2027, I will either deliver the PET Scan or resign,” she declared.

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