Reproductive Health for All

A contribution from the
Geneva WHO Collaborating Centre for Research in Human Reproduction

Study Tour in Geneva for the Reorganisation of the
Reproductive Health Services in Albania

Self-Evaluation Report

Petrit Vassili and Nedime Ceka

During 15-23 October Dr Petrit VASILI, Director of Primary Health Care in the Ministry of Health of Albania and Dr Nedime CEKA, Chief of the Reproductive Health Sector in the Directory of Primary Health Care, had done a study tour organised by WHO Collaborating Centre for Research in Human Reproduction, Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Geneva University Hospital, Geneva.

The study tour was part of a project financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation. In addition, a generous financial contribution and valuable technical advice had been received from WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Policies, Planning and Management, Dept. of Social Affairs, Canton of T icino, Bellinzona.

Situation analysis of reproductive health in Albania - a summary

Albania has high maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. For the year 1997 the IMR was 22,5 per 1000 live births and the maternal mortality was 25,7 per 100 000 live births. The main causes of infant deaths are, ARI, diarrhoeal diseases and malnutrition. The principal causes of maternal mortality are: 1) bleeding during and after delivery 2) already existing pathologies during pregnancy 3) eclampsia.

The existing health structures for women and children in Albania offer low quality services because of lack of training and retraining (in medical and management terms) of the staff, who work in prenatal care and puericulture, lack of equipment and financial resources.

According to the new national health policies and strategies, based also upon the "Health for All Strategy of WHO", the Ministry of Health is now in the phase of reorganising its services and integrating the reproductive health services in the primary health care.

Overall objective of the study tour

The study tour was requested by our directory and the principal goal of the study tour was to acquire foreign experience with a view to improve, manage and integrate the reproductive health services in Albania.

Specific objectives of the study tour

  1. To discuss and exchange information about the legislative aspects for reorganising the reproductive health services in Albania.
  2. To search support for the national programmes for controlling and monitoring child growth and development, nutrition, etc. in developing national nutrition policies and plans of actions.
  3. To find contemporary literature for using in the modules for training of health staff who work in the reproductive health services.
  4. To discuss about the different possible ways in managing and integrating the different woman and child preventive health services based on the Swiss experience.

Principal activities during our journey

  1. During our stay in Geneva we had meetings with WHO Programme of Nutrition. In these meetings, we covered the following issues:
    • Development of a national policy on nutrition in Albania for the year of 1999. Upon request, technical assistance by WHO would be granted during the phase of preparation and implementation.
    • Technical discussions with a specialist of WHO, for finalising our draft national law on the marketing of breastmilk substitutes. In Albania, breastfeeding is a health priority, and its practices are widely spread. Reliable data on breastfeeding rates of mothers exists. However, now with the opening of the country and a new market economy, a number of companies offering breastmilk substitutes, are selling their product in Albania. In order to be protected from the promotion of non-breastfeeding practices and to promote the concept of breastfeeding, our directory had prepared a draft national law for regulating the marketing of breastmilk substitutes. It is hoped to pass this law in the Albanian Parliament by the end of 1998.
    • Direct relation with WHO headquarters for using their rich bibliography of different books and materials, which will help our work in the future.
  1. Meetings with the Cantonal Directors in Geneva, who work in centres for education of health staff and little children, in the Department of Public Instruction, to:
    • exchange information in training of health personnel, mainly in primary health care;
    • prepare the curricula for their training;
    • find materials and modules for their training.
  1. Meeting with the Professor of the Institut de la Droit de la Santé, University of Neuchâtel. The following issues were discussed:
    • The preparation of an Albanian national law about reproductive health, based on the existing model laws in different countries.
    • The necessary legislative base for organising the work in the reproductive health services.
    • The Institute agreed to collaborate with our Directory in the future to assist us in the different steps of preparation of this law.
  1. Meeting with Prof. Aldo Campana, Head of Dept. OB/GYN, and Mrs Eva Mathur, Management Consultant, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research in Human Reproduction, University of Geneva to discuss the following issues:
    • Follow-up of the ongoing collaboration between our institutions, mainly the preparation of the Reproductive Health Manual for Albania - a project financed by UNFPA; and the final elements of implementation in the Institutional Partnership financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation.
    • Principal lines for preparing a national programme for improving the reproductive health in Albania, mainly oriented to the primary health care services, in collaboration with WHO Collaborating Centre, Geneva. The main activities of this programme will be: training; exchange of national and international experiences; support towards equipment and furniture for the different reproductive health structures; technical assistance in scientific research, mainly on the field of reproductive health, formal twining between the University Clinics of Paediatrics and OB/GYN of Tirana, Faculty of Medicine of Tirana, and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research in Human Reproduction, Dept. of OB/GYN and the Dept. of Paediatrics, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva.
    • Possible funding agencies for future collaboration was mentioned: IAMANEH, the Swiss National Science Foundation, UNFPA/WHO, industry and other private donors.

Conclusion

Based upon the above-mentioned activities, we must repeat once again that this study tour was very fruitful and interesting for both of us. During our stay in Switzerland, we had the opportunity to meet relevant officials and to create a large network of contacts for future collaboration, which will help and support our Directory in the difficult work to reorganise and integrate the reproductive health services in Albania.

We thank once again the Swiss National Science Foundation and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Policies, Planning and Management, Dept. of Social Affairs, Canton of T icino, Bellinzona, who supported us financially during this eight days study tour and hope that it will be possible to continue this collaboration in the future.

Petrit VASILI Nedime CEKA
Director, Primary Health Care Chief, Reproductive Health Sector
Ministry of Health, Albania Ministry of Health, Albania
26 October 1998

Editor : Eva Mathur

 
Web www.gfmer.ch

print
Print this page

line

Edited by Aldo Campana,