Work has begun to establish Peer Groups in selected health centres in Tirana, Kavajë, Shkodër, Pogradec, Mirditë, Kukës, Lezhë, and Elbasan. HAP is closely supporting this process through workshops for Peer Group facilitators, focusing on the establishment and operational rules of these continuous education activities.
During these workshops, facilitators prepare a set of documents required to apply for accreditation with the ASCK (Agency of Health and Social Care Quality Assurance). They also draft meeting agendas and familiarise themselves with their roles as facilitators during group sessions. Facilitators ensure that all group members actively participate in discussions on clinical cases, use clinical decision-making and health education tools for each of the five non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and practise completing reporting documents submitted to the ASCK before and after each meeting.
The formation of Peer Groups follows the completion of a training cycle for trainers on the implementation of prevention and treatment protocols for five major chronic diseases: dyslipidaemia, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). These trainings were conducted between May and October 2024 with HAP’s support. A total of 50 training sessions were held, involving 190 family doctors/nurses and Local Units of Health Care specialists from Tirana, Kavaja, Shkodër, Elbasan, Pogradec, Lezhë, Mirditë, and Kukës. The sessions aimed not only to equip participants with the skills to implement the protocols in daily practice but also to enable them to share this knowledge with colleagues through Peer Groups.
Participants expressed high appreciation for the content and materials of the trainings, which provided them with the opportunity to update their knowledge on the prevention, diagnosis, assessment, and monitoring of each of the five diseases. They also valued the practical training in the use of clinical decision-making tools tailored for both doctors and nurses, which helped them gain hands-on skills in disease prevention and management.
The trainings also included dedicated sessions on patient and family health education, with real-life demonstrations of this process using the Health Education Manual for Non-Communicable Diseases.
The sessions were conducted by the ABC Foundation and accredited with six credits by ASCK.
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The training of family doctors and nurses on the implementation of the five NCD protocols is a crucial step towards reducing referrals to specialists and improving the prevention and management of complications at the family doctor level. This highlights the need for better coordination between specialists and family doctors regarding treatment pathways and the recommended use of medications.
It remains important to continue practical training and monitoring the application of protocols to ensure that the acquired knowledge translates into tangible improvements in NCD management and primary healthcare in Albania.