Health workforce across European Countries
manifesto for a european health union
Title Regional Health Accounts of Albania
Date July 2010
Client Republic of Albania - Ministry of Health
Authors Ana Lipe, Viola Çopani, Flora Hobdari, Markus Schneider, Gunter Brückner, Peter Biene

Albania is one of the European countries which managed well the financial crises in 2009. Growth continued at an estimated rate of 2.8 percent, in contrast to most of Europe that witnessed declines. Growth is projected to continue in the range of 2-2.5 percent in 2010. But, despite the significant economic results the health system of Albania continues to be significantly underdeveloped.

In 2009, the Ministry of Health of Albania started to institutionalize national health accounts in the Department of Financial Planning at the MOH supported by Health System Modernization Project of the World Bank. In June 2010, accounts for three consecutive years 2007-2009 have been compiled. The work included training of Albanian National Health Accountants during workshops, analysis of the data, development and institutionalization of NHA, and support to the Department of Financial Planning at the Ministry of Health.

Total health expenditures Primary health care expenditures Secondary health care expenditures
Total health expenditures Primary health care expenditures Secondary health care expenditures

Figure: Regional allocation of health care expenditures per inhabitant in Lek, 2009

The Albanian National Health Accounts present the first time an comprehensive overview of the regional allocation of private and public health care expenditures together by prefectures.

One important objective of health policy is a sustainable and equitable health care financing. Albanian health accounts give a comprehensive picture about the various financial flows. In Albania, total health expenditures increased from 52 to 65 billion Lek in the period 2007-2009. As compared to earlier estimates, the privately financed share is significantly lower. In total, 5.7 per cent of the GDP is devoted to health in 2009, 50 per cent publicly funded, 47 per cent privately funded, and 3 per cent financed by Foreign Programs. Despite the significant increase of public expenditures during the last years the share of GDP devoted to public health expenditures remains low. Only Cyprus exhibits a comparable low share of public health care expenditures in Europe.

The project has been supervised by a Steering Committee under the lead of the General Secretary Mirela Cano from the Ministry of Health, including representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the Health Insurance Institute, and the Institute of National Statistics. The Steering Committee secured both data access and timely implementation. Technical support was provided by BASYS which helped to implement health accounts in Germany and other European States.

Further information about the Albanian health system is available at the Ministry of Health of Albania.