The President of the Federation of Health Trade Unions, Tevide Imeri, in an interview for Telegrafi, spoke about the working conditions and salaries of doctors in Kosovo, which she said are forcing them to flee to Europe and beyond.

After taking office in May of this year, Imeri announced that he had a meeting with the Minister of Health, Rifat Latifi, who promised to improve the situation in the health sector.

He said that he asked him what the platforms were, but he did not receive a concrete answer.

"But he told us that he is interested in improving the health situation.

We will create groups for dialogue and see what our demands are, that is, the interests of the federation and those we represent", declared Imeri.

"We have raised our concerns and I consider that they are issues that should have been resolved earlier and not waited for 23 years after the war and we are still the only country in the region that does not have the Law on health insurance.

And this is harming the health worker directly but also the citizen of Kosovo.

Among other things, she said that they are waiting for the Wage Law, but warned that if this situation continues, they will take union actions until the general strike.

"I do not deeply believe that this Government will solve the problems in health, but I want to believe.

Since they have promised that they will treat health well.

We are waiting for the Salary Law and there we will see where health workers are ranked and then we will react in time".

Tevide Imeri, the president of the Union of Doctors of Kosovo

"We are waiting to see how much they will fulfill their promises.

If this situation continues, we will take our actions with our mechanisms even though it would be very painful for the citizens.

I hope that there will be no talk of a general strike, as is being talked about in other unions, in order not to provide services, except for emergency ones".

Speaking about the flight of doctors, Imeri said that it is a great concern and this has become a phenomenon that has been following him over the years, but that recently it has become more frequent.

According to her, the doctors who are leaving the country are those who have a high average grade.

"Doctors and nurses who have a high average grade are going because they choose quality, as the states also choose.

What are they taking, they are taking the cream of Kosovo's health care and this is very painful for our country, but it is painful for our citizens that there is a possibility that very soon we will be left without main services", she said.

Further, Imeri raised another concern, as the doctors, as she said, are not only fleeing and leaving the country, but they are leaving public institutions to move to private institutions.

Imeri indicated that more than 200 doctors have left Kosovo.

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Telegraph

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