Strengthening the health system: HAP invests in the professional development of its managers

HAP is proud to support the strengthening of key healthcare institutions’ capacities through continuous investment in international training, with the aim of improving healthcare services in the country. As part of this effort, Ms. Marsida Mulaj, in her role as the Director of Primary and Hospital Care at the Health Insurance Fund, and Mr. Markens Shllaku, in his role as the Deputy Director General of the Central Directory of the Operator of Health Care Services recently completed prestigious courses in health management offered by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute.

These courses provide participants with a solid foundation on global health strategies and policy development at the national and local levels, key innovations in financing and delivering health services, the dynamics of supply and demand, payment systems and mechanisms, as well as how the organisation of health systems impacts financing, performance measurement, and resource allocation. The courses focus on developing critical thinking and empower participants to critically assess healthcare financing structures, performance measurement, and monitoring, in order to propose improvements that strengthen health system performance.

Ms. Mulaj described her participation in the “Health Economics and Health Financing” course as “extremely beneficial and intellectually challenging,” with one of the most striking aspects being “the way the financial implications of healthcare were analysed in a global context,” particularly “the mechanisms that improve equity and efficiency within the system.” She added that the knowledge gained during the course was highly valuable for better managing the challenges faced by the HIF, such as “balancing financial sustainability with universal coverage, where healthcare financing must ensure equal access for all“.

When asked how the “Health Policy and Systems Analysis” course has influenced his thinking about the financing and development of healthcare systems, Mr. Shllaku stated that it is time for “the most qualified professionals to make decisions based on the latest international data and guidelines.” He acknowledged that, despite visionary strategies, healthcare system managers “do not rise to the level of their objectives but fall to the constraints of the existing system,” making it essential for “us to adopt a scientific and systematic approach at this moment.”

Among the innovations offered by the course, Mr. Shllaku mentioned the process of systems mapping, which he implemented immediately upon his return “by creating a map of all private and public healthcare service providers, including mapping the interactions between them at both horizontal and vertical levels.” He added that such innovations, “under the right leadership, encourage professionals to create a new mindset.” Mr. Shllaku was keen on expressing his gratitude to the HAP project for enabling his participation in this course, “as it contributes not only to my professional development but also to better capacities for the healthcare system in the country, since every healthcare worker has two responsibilities: first, to perform well in the duty assigned to them, and second, to improve the workplace where the’re employed.

By enabling managers of key health institutions to develop their expertise, HAP is helping build a stronger, more efficient healthcare system in Albania—one capable of delivering sustainable high-quality health services.

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Ms. Marsida Mulaj is a general practitioner and public health specialist with 16 years of experience in managing the healthcare system at the HIF, aiming to provide affordable and high-quality healthcare services.

Mr. Markens Shllaku is a clinical professional, manager, consultant, and lecturer on healthcare issues, with over a decade of experience in primary healthcare, as well as the president of the Albanian Association of Neurorehabilitation.