Strengthen Capacity for Data Collection, Epidemiological Analysis, Monitoring and Improve Emergency Response for Communicable Diseases and Cross-National Threats in Albania..

Erda Qorri and Elida Mata
Albanian University, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Dentistry

Abstract

Background The health system in Albania is mainly public. The state is the leading provider of health services, health promotion and prevention, and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The institutions are subordinated to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection. Their activity extends not only at central level but also regionally (according to the new administrative division) with their respective directorates. The Albanian system of epidemiological surveillance for infectious diseases is mandatory. The ALERT system of reporting infectious diseases system has been jointly implemented by the IPH and the WHO since 2000, creating an effective early warning system for infectious diseases in Albania. Different projects are implemented to improve the surveillance system in Albania. The overall objective of this project is to support Albania in improving its ability to recognize and respond to public health emergencies, including serious public health threats of cross-border relevance. Methodology The implementation of this project was carried out in collaboration with three institutions, the Albanian Public Health Institute, the Albanian University and partner the Italian National Institute of Public Health. Results The result related to the evaluation of laboratory capacities. Questionnaires were submitted to 31 laboratories, 8 National Reference Laboratories and 23 District Laboratories (response rate was 74%). The sample included one respondent from each NRL, all located at ISHP (8 respondents) and 17/23 District laboratories. Among the respondent District laboratories, seven of them declared to be part of the Regional Directorate of Health, ten declared to be laboratories in a public healthcare facility. The area of Tirana includes the eight NRLs located at ISHP and two District laboratories. All the 12 main administrative areas of Albania included at least one respondent laboratory. The 8 respondent NRLs at ISHP covered 30 diseases/conditions. At national level, no sentinel network of virology laboratories for surveillance of acute respiratory viral infections is in place; there is evidence that surveillance networks of clinical laboratories regularly report microbiological data to central national public health surveillance databases for at least one disease monthly. Key words: infectious diseases, preparedness and response, microbiological laboratories

Presentation