TIRANA, OCTOBER 15, 2010     The Albanian Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo, in collaboration with Health Ministries of both countries, held an international conference today to address challenges in managing health care systems in the region. Organized with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the conference took place at the Albanian Academy of Sciences.

Mr. Gudar Beqiraj, Chairman of the Academy of Sciences of Albania, underlined that it is important for academics, scientists and practitioners from both countries to support the health sector to improve management of health resources in a way that best serves people in need of health care.

Ministers of Health from Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia addressed more than eighty participants, laying out their priorities for health care in their countries. Each emphasized the need to manage available resources through reducing waste, avoiding abuse, and improving efficiency of health care systems.

USAID Mission Director Joseph C. Williams discussed how USAID’s health program will help improve Albania’s ability to efficiently manage resources, and announced a new USAID five-year, $8.5 million health care improvement program.

“USAID has supported Albania’s primary health care system for many years and is pleased to partner with the Ministry of Health and other health institutions to introduce health financing and health information systems that have increased transparency and efficiency throughout the system,” said Mr. Williams.

In Albania, public health expenditures are only 3% of the GDP, less than half the European average. More than half (60%) of expenditures are informally paid out-of-pocket -- disproportionally affecting low-income populations and those who are not enrolled in the country’s national health insurance program.

USAID, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and its health institutions, is working to strengthen Albania’s health care through matching resources with performance and quality standards and through making health care services more affordable and accessible for all Albanians.