A doctor who denounced the lack of appropriate protective equipment in Tirana’s COVID-19 hospitals has been fired.
Doctor Ilir Allkja posted a video on social media where he said that doctors and medical professionals did not have the proper PPE materials to protect themselves. The video was posted in March this year, at the beginning of the pandemic.
He claimed that he had to isolate himself as he had come into contact with patients suspected of having COVID-19, and he did not have special clothing at the time. He added that they were given a simple surgical mask, instead of protective clothing when dealing with ‘poisoning’ or ‘neurological cases’ that also presented with fever or difficulty breathing.
Alkja had called on Skender Brataj, the Director of the National Center of Medical Emergency to properly assess clients calling 127 to see if they have COVID-19 symptoms. He also begged that him and his colleagues be given special clothing to protect themselves.
He has now been fired by the State Hospital QSUT for “breaching the code of ethics”. They claim that his report misinformed the public, were false, and spread panic. This was included in a letter of termination, sent by Director of QSUT Enkelejd Joti.
The Democratic Party denounced it as a political matter, accusing Prime Minister Edi Rama of dismissing doctors that speak up.
“Albania today does not have enough doctors to serve the citizens, but Edi Rama has started the political dismissal of doctors who do not shut their mouths for the truth of the ruined health system.
The dismissal of a front-line doctor for agitation and propaganda at the height of the pandemic means that Edi Rama does not care at all about the public interest.”
