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KOSOVO - Luxembourg Cooperation supports the fight against cardiovascular disease
As a testament to Luxembourg’s commitment to improving healthcare, a new service for treating patients with cardiovascular problems was inaugurated on 14 June 2024 at the General Hospital of Prizren. This hospital – a partner of “Health Support Programme in Kosovo - Phase II” – was equipped with a state-of-the-art Catheterisation Laboratory (CathLab) and provided with necessary training and operational procedures, all in accordance with the legislation in force.
CathLab at the General Hospital of Prizren
The inauguration of the new healthcare service in the second biggest city in Kosovo was met with appreciation at a high-level government event. The significance of such services being provided to citizens outside of the capital, making them affordable and easily accessible, was acknowledged.
Albin Kurti, Prime Minister of Kosovo, said: "This service is very important because success depends on the intervention time. The new interventional cardiology service at the General Hospital of Prizren will cover the entire Prizren region and help save lives. The service will start today. What we expect to be the result is the reduction of the waiting list in the Prizren region and citizens to have access to high quality and financially affordable services".
The General Hospital of Prizren, a benefiting institution and Luxembourg Cooperation's long-term partner since 2003, has achieved another milestone towards the quality and safety of service provision in the region of Prizren, the hospital's overarching objective.
Dr. Narqize Arënliu Hoxhaj, Executive Director, General Hospital of Prizren: "Today is an event of special importance for all of us, as we are inaugurating the Interventional Cardiology Service – CathLab, a service that offers the opportunity to save lives, especially in cardiac emergencies. All this was achieved thanks to the help and support of the Government of Kosovo, the Ministry of Health, Kosovo Hospital and University Clinic Services, and the Government of Luxembourg, through the “Health Support Programme in Kosovo - Phase II” project implemented by LuxDev. Without everyone's support, this would not be possible. This cooperation confirms everyone's dedication to improving the quality and safety of services at Prizren Hospital."
The new CathLab results from great collaboration and joint efforts by the Government of the Republic of Kosovo and the Government of Luxembourg. The total investment of the Government of Kosovo for the architectural plan and infrastructural works was about EUR 1 million. The Government of Luxembourg allocated EUR 2 million for all medical equipment necessary for the functioning of this service, non-medical inventory (furniture) and professional training of staff, including the expertise provided by the Institut National de Chirurgie Cardiaque et de Cardiologie Interventionnelle – INCCI of Luxembourg.
H.E. Eric Dietz, Chargé d’Affaires e.p., Embassy of Luxembourg in Pristina: “Today, we are inaugurating a new CathLab. This new unit is more than just a building; it is a phare of hope and is a flagship project that represents not only the culmination of years of cooperation and dedication but also innovation. It also materialises the transfer of Know How from highly respected Luxembourgish professional institutions such as INCCI to Kosovo healthcare institutions through close collaboration and cooperation between our two countries. Through our determined joint efforts, we have supported the Prizren Hospital's introduction of new services and modernization and upgrade of existing ones.”
It is noteworthy to mention that in Kosovo, cardiovascular diseases stand as the primary cause of morbidity and mortality among citizens above 50 years old, thus having significant implications for public health. In 2019, over half (51.1%) of deaths in the country were attributed to cardiovascular-related causes, with women being more affected (54.2%) than men (48.5%).
A CathLab is a specialised room in a hospital or medical facility equipped with diagnostic imaging equipment and other medical devices used to perform minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and treat cardiovascular conditions. In the CathLab, doctors, typically cardiologists or interventional radiologists, perform procedures such as cardiac catheterisation, angioplasty, stenting, and other interventions to diagnose and treat conditions like coronary artery disease, heart valve disorders, and congenital heart defects.
During the first intervention at the CathLab
Collaborating with local medical professionals and authorities, as well as with Luxembourg institutions such as the INCCI, the project strives to create a resilient and sustainable healthcare ecosystem to meet the needs of the Kosovar population. Its special focus is on cardiovascular diseases, which are the main causes of mortality and morbidity in Kosovo.
The project primarily operates at two general hospitals: the General Hospital of Prizren and the General Hospital of Gjilan. It also supports the capacity building of the Ministry of Health at the central level and the capacity building of partners such as the Chamber of Physicians and the Kosovo Hospital and University Clinical Services.
The Health Sector Support Programme in Kosovo - Phase II is co-funded by the Government of Kosovo and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and implemented by the Kosovo Ministry of Health and LuxDev, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency.
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