The irony of the fire that broke out at the end of February 2024 is related to the fact that the Plastic Burns building was almost out of operation. From confidential sources within the hospital, “Vetting” has learned that only one office and one operating room in the old plastic burns building are functional. So, such a small space is supposed to handle all the patients coming from every corner of Albania. Impossible!
Therefore, private hospitals come into play, which with stratospheric bills profit from the misery and urgency of people in need. Undoubtedly, the responsibility does not lie with the private sector, but with the Ministry of Health, which allows a situation for which there are public funds and procedures to provide a hospital with standard conditions.
Patients receive care in the rest of the hospital within a ward, in which three to four rooms serve as resuscitation to treat them, but that is not enough to meet the number of people who need medical treatment. According to dermatologist Rozana Çela, the degree of the burn also determines how it will be treated.
"Third-degree burns that cover more than 10% of the skin surface and go deep are very serious burns and are definitely treated in a hospital," dermatologist Cela told Vetting.
The fire at QSUNT did not create a new problem, but rather brought to light an existing problem. “Vetting” has discovered that there is a long correspondence between public health institutions, which prove the truncated service and the danger posed to patients and health personnel by the collapse of the building. In all this chaotic situation, reminiscent of a hospital in a war zone, the indifference of the senior officials who run these institutions is striking.
But what is the history of the Plastic Burns Hospital at the QSUT?
Eleven years ago, an investment was made in the Burn Hospital in infrastructure to help patients in treatment. In this service, where over 1000 interventions were performed per year, patients with high-grade burns were also included. Former Minister Ilir Beqaj boasted to the media that this investment would primarily increase safety for Albanian citizens themselves, responding to European standards for these diseases. Meanwhile, the former director of QSUNT, Ogerta Manastirliu, trumpeted, as did former Minister Beqaj, that the investment would provide better quality of service, greater safety for patients and medical staff, as well as all the necessary progress in the context of improving patient service. In connection with this project, the European Commission would give Albania 1 million euros.
According to Dr. Erion Dasho, having a QSUNT today, which is the only tertiary center in Albania, with dilapidated buildings or buildings that do not offer contemporary parameters, is criminal negligence.
"It deserves to have an analysis and increased attention from the media and pressure on the Ministry of Health and the QSUNT so that this situation is corrected as soon as possible and receives the attention it deserves," Dr. Dasho told "Vetting".
But today, as you approach the hospital premises in the courtyard, you see patients and their families with a sad look as they take slow steps and with whispers and pain complain about the scandalous conditions found in this building that barely holds itself up on its walls.
The hospital walls are severely damaged by moisture that has corroded them for years, leaving marks on the surface. The lack of hygienic conditions is a serious problem in this hospital as the risk of contracting infections is high.
According to dermatologist Rozana Çela, the conditions must be sterile with a high degree of sterility as burns are also associated with the overlapping of infection.
Vetting's verifications show that the number of rooms is insufficient to cope with the cases of citizens who need treatment for several days. This has forced doctors to have no other choice but to give their patients early discharge slips, a situation that forces patients to seek treatment at private hospitals, plunging them into debt due to high fees.
According to dermatologist, Rozana Çela, in cases of third-degree burns, patients should receive more complex treatment from the hospital.
"In the case of third-degree burns, the sick person must be hospitalized, the treatment is in the hospital and is given from intravenous infusion and electrolytes. In these cases, the patient has lost electrolytes, is dehydrated, therefore it is necessary to receive infusions with electrolytes or plasma. In cases where the burns are very deep, third-degree burns, a skin transplant is definitely performed here," dermatology Cela told "Vetting".
"Vetting" has found that at the Plastic Burn Hospital, patients do not have bed sheets, which are essential. According to the audit, the laundry company that takes care of the hygiene of the linens was overpaid by the QSUT for this service by 11 million lek or 110 thousand euros more in violation of the Public Procurement Law.
Another problem is the bathtubs in which patients have to wash themselves and where they can remove bandages, as they are not functional, which increases the pain for patients during the process of removing bandages. The lack of bathtubs also makes it difficult for doctors and nurses who risk their health in minimal conditions.
Earthquake damage, building at risk of collapse
Year after year, the Burn Hospital would deteriorate and on November 26, 2019, the earthquake that struck Central Albania would severely damage the building, threatening to collapse. The building was classified as dangerous to work in, but despite this fact, the plastic incineration service would continue on the first floor of the building.
From that day until today, patients, family members, nurses, and doctors risk their lives every day by standing in the ruins of this building that has multiple damages. This four-story building was partially emptied in December 2019 after the Biopsy, Dermatology, Blood Bank, and part of the "burn" sector left it.
According to the report of the Polytechnic University of Tirana, the suggested solution for this building was the renovation of the building, which requires complete structural rehabilitation, adaptation and improvement of the building's conditions of use. The cost of complete rehabilitation and additional repair interventions of the building is estimated at around 40-50% compared to the cost of construction. The lifespan of the new structure, after the intervention, is estimated at 50 years, but this would not happen.
In the same vein, the Construction Institute concluded that the Plastic Incineration building should be reconstructed and repaired due to the numerous problems that had been identified. Based on this fact, the Mother Teresa University Hospital Center sent a request to the Ministry of Health regarding the technical opposition of the Construction Institute in December 2020 for taking measures on the Plastic Incineration building.
According to the Supreme State Audit, several problems were identified in the Plastic Burn building. In the Plastic Burn building, which also houses the Anatomy and Pathology Laboratory (object of the concession agreement that was not handed over to the concessionaire due to earthquake damage), two acts of observation were held, respectively in November 2019, from which it results that the earthquake damage is mainly observed in the beams, the transverse walls of the building, cracks in the plaster and damage to the bearing masonry.
According to the audit, it is recommended to stop traffic and hospital activity until the damage is fully repaired and the structural integrity has been compromised, the structure has responded almost to the elastic phase.
QSUNT has requested guidance from the Ministry of Health on the steps it should take, whether the Ministry of Health should continue with the rehabilitation of the building or if it plans other interventions for it. The Ministry has included this project in the World Bank project, for the implementation of the draft budget, requesting the institution not to take any action for the reconstruction of this building.
(BalkanWeb)
