Kosovo - Luxembourg Aid contributed to a success story for Doctors Chamber
In the course of the reform process of the healthcare system in Kosovo, a number institutions were established, in order to establish a modern healthcare system. One of the main institutions established in 2011 was the Doctors’ Chamber (DC) of Kosovo, one of five Professional Medical Chambers, an independent organisation of doctors.
From 2011 to 2013, the project “Health Support in Kosovo – KSV/014” (predecessor of the KSV/017 Project) provided extensive support to the elaboration of the Law on Professional Medical Chambers which was adopted by the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo on 30 May 2013. The Assembly elections were organised immediately afterwards, in which the first mandate of Doctors Chamber of Kosovo was voted and the first president was elected. Project KSV/014 supported the organization of the first elections and provided technical assistance in establishing the main bodies of the newly established organisation.
In December 2017 the second election was organized and a new Chamber president and Assembly members were elected. The election process was again supported by KSV/017.
KSV/017 continued to provide technical assistance to the DC in order to facilitate the newly elected management to successfully carry out its core functions. The registration and membership of doctors (one of its core competencies) was successfully carried out. Today, the Chamber has a membership of more than 4000 registered doctors.
Following the successful registration process, in February 2018, the Ministry of Health transferred the first public competencies to the Doctors’ Chamber and the Ethical Code supervision, which resulted in the full official functionalisation of the Chamber. Moreover, in April 2018 two additional competencies were transferred to the Chamber, namely licensing and re-licensing, as well as Continuous Professional Development (CPD). Hence, the DC issued 996 licenses for new specialists, doctors, and renewed licenses that had expired, fully implementing its role as foreseen in its statutes. The Chamber has become a fully functional and financially independent professional organization and since then has actively represented the interests of doctors for the benefit of both patients and doctors.
On 10 November 2018, the General Assembly of the Standing Committee of European Doctors approved the membership of the Kosovo Doctors’ Chamber as an Observer Member. This achievement was very welcome by the medical community in Kosovo, this membership was highly regarded, as Kosovar doctors would have an opportunity to exchange concerns and experiences with the highest level of medical representation at the EU level.
The priority of the Kosovo Doctors’ Chamber now is working on the process of transferring the last remaining responsibility, competency for Specialty Training, in close cooperation with Ministry of Health. KSV/017 supports the DC with continuous technical assistance and will provide a building for the Professional Medical Chambers in order to help improve their independence and financial sustainability.
The Kosovo Doctors’ Chamber is dedicated to ensure an annual programme of Continuing Medical Education to its members and also making sure that necessary points for licensing are collected and offered by this medical organization.
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