A Hospital is always a very complicated enterprise to build - a special disease hospital is much more than that

A hospital is always a very complicated enterprise to build. A special disease hospital is much more than that. Putting together resources and staff, equipping it with everything needed in the shortest possible time is quite a challenge.

“This is why we have been very close to the personnel and to the needs of these newly created structures named as Covid Hospitals in Albania” – says Dr. Bettina Menne, WHO representative and Head of the Country Office in Albania.

"While the WHO response to COVID-19 crisis has been a comprehensive one, we have been following keenly the key structures managing the most severe cases of this initially unknown disease" explains Dr. Menne.

She herself has paid several visits in these structures interfacing directly with the doctors and nurses, while collecting from them their concerns, needs and requests.

Prof. Dr. Perlat Kapisyzi who manages Covid-2 Hospital at “Shefqet Ndroqi Hospital”, said to Dr. Menne that his goal is to increase to increase ICU capacities as soon as possible. Prof. Dr. Kapisyzi explained to WHO Albania how this facility has managed to increase the number of beds, the spaces required, its capacities and the staff dedicated totally to COVID-19.

WHO Director Dr. Bettina Menne asked in details about their clinical case management and the protocol used. Furthermore, human resources needs, the recovery plans, possibilities to increasing testing capacities and the diagnostic facilities available at the hospital were discussed in the meeting.

WHO team visited also the COVID-19 ward and the intensive care unit.

Dr. Bettina Menne met earlier also with Dr Najada Çomo, Head of the Infectious Diseases Service at University Hospital "Mother Tereza" in Tirana, director of Covid 1 Hospital, and her colleagues.