Monitoring of Primary Health Care Service in Albania

The study, conducted in 2014, aimed to investigate the status of primary health care centers in Albania through a statistical selection of a number of them. The survey was based on a questionnaire for which approximately 570 observers were trained, and the representative champion was selected among the data received from the Ministry of Health and the Public Health Directorate in all twelve regions. The study focused on various aspects of primary health care centers, including their setup, opening, accessibility for people with disabilities, services offered, relationship with the Institute of Insurance and Health Care (IIHC), investments in health centers, infrastructure evaluation, equipment evaluation, medication inventory, documentation evaluation, and closing time. The data gathered was processed in software specifically developed for this observation within three days, due to the engagement of thirteen operators stationed in Tirana. The study revealed several key findings, including the status of health centers, health center setup, health center opening, health center accessibility for people with disabilities, health center services, relationship with the Institute of Insurance and Health Care (IIHC), investments in health centers, health center infrastructure evaluation, health center equipment evaluation, health center medication inventory, health center documentation evaluation, and health center closing time. The study also provided recommendations for the Ministry of Health, the health centers themselves, the Mandatory Health Care Insurance Fund (MHCIF), and the Albanian civil society organizations. The study was made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The Coalition for Free and Fair Elections and Sustainable Democracy (CFFESD) is an independent, nonpartisan Coalition founded to promote democratic governance in Albania through fostering citizen participation in public dialogue, advocacy, and monitoring of public institutions and political processes. The Coalition consists of 25 organizations and hundreds of volunteers throughout the country. The study's methodology involved a statistical selection of primary health care centers, with a 3.6% tolerance of error for primary health centers and 4.3% for ambulatory centers. The survey was based on a questionnaire for which approximately 570 observers were trained, and the representative champion was selected among the data received from the Ministry of Health and the Public Health Directorate in all twelve regions. The data gathered was processed in software specifically developed for this observation within three days, due to the engagement of thirteen operators stationed in Tirana. The study's findings and recommendations are intended to provide important data on the operation of primary health care centers, analysis of strengths and weaknesses of the primary health care system in Albania, and recommendations for the Ministry of Health, the health centers themselves, the Mandatory Health Care Insurance Fund (MHCIF), and the Albanian civil society organizations. The study's results are expected to contribute to the improvement of primary health care services in Albania and to promote democratic governance in the country.