Remarks on Reforms of Primary Health Care System

Remarks of USAID/Albania Mission Director, Roberta Mahoney
Ceremony for the Primary Health Care Program
January 29, 2009

Good morning Minister Godo, partners, donors, ladies and gentlemen,

I am happy to have the opportunity to be here today to congratulate the Ministry of Health and its partner institutions—the Faculty of Medicine, the Health Insurance Institute, and the World Health Organization—for their leadership and contribution to reforming Albania’s Primary Health Care system.

This work is Albania's flagship health reform – and it contributes to moving Albania ever closer towards European standards.

We are here today to endorse two fundamental ideas – in the form of policy documents.
The first—a Framework for Family Medicine—and second—a Basic Package of Primary Health Care Services to be offered by all Health Centers in Albania.

In these documents are the ideas that lay the groundwork for improving the delivery of health care services and securing continued future reforms in the sector.

These documents also demonstrate the commitment of the policy makers -- you and your people -- to create a vision and work towards it. This was no easy task. Instead it came from broad discussions and consensual agreements with interested parties over several years.

Reforms are never easy -- they take time and effort, but the evidence we see here today shows that the process was necessary and valuable.

We now have up-to-date standards and policies that will improve the transparency and accountability of institutions and increase people's belief and trust in the health care system.

These documents provide the vision of how health care should be delivered in Albania—based on principles of quality health care that is accessible to all Albanians. 

USAID is proud to have supported primary health care reforms in Albania for many years. 

Today is the culmination of a long and difficult process. With up-to-date standards and policies that improve transparency, accountability, and people's confidence in the system, Albania has taken a significant step forward in creating a modern health care system.

I would like to commend all of you for the work you are doing and I look forward to our continued partnership in future efforts to modernize and improve Albania’s health sector.

Thank you very much.