KKUK has run out of drugs

The lack of drugs from the essential list in public health institutions continues to be a concern, both for patients and medical staff. Although, according to health officials, during 2015 there was a good supply of medicines, the year 2016 marked a decrease.

Such a decrease is estimated to be a consequence of the budget allocation for drugs in the amount of 15 million euros, from the University Clinical Center of Kosovo to the Ministry of Health.

Curr Gjocaj, director of the University Clinical Center of Kosovo, says for Radio Free Europe that they are dissatisfied with the insufficiency of the budget, where, as he says, from the very beginning of planning the purchase of drugs, they lack 5 million euros.

"As for the essential list, the budget has already passed from the University Clinical Center of Kosovo to the Ministry of Health. We are dissatisfied with the insufficiency of the budget, since 5 million euros are missing from the start and we are forced to provide incomplete services from the beginning. Then, the transfer of the budget from one institution to another, the debts of one organization to another, and thus the delays occurred", says Gjocaj.

The head of the Federal Health Union, Blerim Syla, says that with the transfer of the budget from the KKUK to the Ministry of Health, a chaos has been created, from which, according to him, the patients have suffered the most due to the marked lack of drugs.

"After the allocation of the budget by the Ministry of Health by decision of the Parliament, months ago, a real chaos has been caused in KKUK. I think the policy has made a big mistake, as far as the transfer of the budget is concerned, since there were no remarks from the auditors".

"Now the patients have suffered, as even the most basic things are missing and they have to buy them all by themselves. "I, as the president of the Federation, but also as a gynecologist, think that this situation is not temporary and that it disrupts the daily work of doctors", emphasizes Syla.

According to him, the Government should clarify the situations well and not create bureaucratic processes, which are hindering the supply of medicines.

Patients also talk about the lack of medicines. One of them, Shpresa Krasniqi, who was lying in the Infectious Disease Clinic, says that she is being forced to buy even the most essential things.

"We buy everything, from test tubes to collect blood to antibiotics. We did not find any possible medicine in the Infectious Disease Clinic. I am not satisfied with the service either. Access to the doctor is very difficult. Laboratory analyses, also, most must be done privately. In a word, I am not satisfied at all", says Shpresa.

On the other hand, Curr Gjocaj, director of the University Clinical Center of Kosovo, estimates that the supply of drugs is not bad.

"Right now, the drugs are there because the orders were made earlier, but the shortages in the clinics are still there," he emphasizes.

The Ministry of Health says that the allocation of the budget from one institution to another was a request from donors and was approved by the Assembly of Kosovo.

Faik Hoti, director of the Department for Information at the Ministry of Health, gives other details:

"The budget for drugs and consumables has been a decisive request of the donor community, who wanted a separation between the service provider and those who will contract them through the health insurance fund. The Ministry of Health has raised it to higher political levels and the Assembly of Kosovo was the institution that was responsible for this allocation of the budget for health," he said.

However, for 2015, the budget for medicines in Kosovo has increased by 14.5 million euros more, raising the budget to approximately 35.5 million euros. In 2014, the budget for drugs was around 21 million euros.