The Health for All Project (HAP) will hold its Closing Conference, “Advancing Primary Health Care in Albania: 12 Years of Lessons and Perspectives for the Future,” bringing together policymakers, health professionals, institutional partners, and experts from Albania and the region to reflect on twelve years of Swiss support to Primary Health Care (PHC) in Albania.
Funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), HAP has worked alongside Albanian health institutions and professionals since 2015 to strengthen Primary Health Care services, improve the quality of care, and support the development of a health system that is more responsive to the citizens’ needs.
Over three implementation phases, the project has contributed to important developments in PHC, including the introduction and expansion of home-based care services, the development and application of clinical protocols for non-communicable diseases, and the strengthening of professional competencies through training, peer learning, and continuing education. HAP has also supported the integration of psychosocial services, interprofessional collaboration, improvements to health care infrastructure and equipment, and the strengthening of health service management and monitoring.
The Closing Conference will provide an opportunity to examine these developments, share experiences from implementation, and discuss the lessons that can inform future policies and practices in Primary Health Care.
The conference programme features contributions from national health authorities, health professionals, and institutional partners, with discussions focusing on key areas of HAP’s work, including home-based care, professional education, the management of non-communicable diseases, and integrated approaches to patient care. A regional exchange involving representatives from Kosovo and Moldova will broaden the discussion by bringing perspectives and experiences from neighbouring health systems.
Beyond reviewing achievements, the conference will address a key question that arises at the end of this journey: how can the progress supported over the past twelve years be sustained and further developed? Particular attention will be given to the continued application of improved practices, the capacities of health professionals and institutions, and the resources and commitments needed to maintain and strengthen PHC services.
The Closing Conference will take place in Tirana on 28 October 2026.