Albania

The health system in Albania is predominantly centralized, with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MoHSP) leading policy development and coordination of health care actors. The state is the primary provider of health services, covering promotion, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The Mandatory Health Insurance Fund (MHIF) is the primary purchaser of publicly funded health services.

Since 2016, all residents of Albania have had access to free primary health care (PHC) visits and emergency services, regardless of health insurance status, with access to free or low-cost specialist visits and laboratory tests available through family physician referrals.

Albanian health care services are financed through a mix of taxation and statutory insurance. The bulk of public financing comes from the state budget, but the tax base is problematic due to low incomes, a large informal economy and problems collecting taxes.

In 2022, Albania had 43 public and 18 private hospitals. The private health care sector has grown notably in areas like pharmacies, dental care, and some specialized diagnostic services. Private hospitals are mainly located in Tirana, the capital. Patients have to cover the expenses for services provided in private hospitals.

Due to demographic changes, including internal migration to urban and coastal areas, the MoHSP merged and re-configured some primary care centres, resulting in 362 primary centers by 2023, along with 2148 health posts and 46 polyclinics in 2022.