The health sector in albania Is suffering. One of the most important indicators reflecting the accessibility of health services is the number of doctors per 10,000 inhabitants. The 2023 census data in Albania and The doctors' registry Show Significant variations in the number of doctors from region to region.
The capital Tirana, as the most populous city in the country, also has the largest number of doctors, with 4,819 registered professionals. This translates to 63.5 doctors per 10,000 inhabitants — a rate close to the average for European Union countries.
In contrast, in Durres there are only 556 doctors, which means that there are only 24.5 doctors per 10,000 inhabitants. The indicators are even lower in other areas: in the city of Berat the percentage drops to 16.6 doctors per 10,000 inhabitants, while in Shkodra, with a population of 154,479 inhabitants and 355 doctors, the indicator reaches 22.9.
In Elbasani, the ratio reaches 18.5 doctors per 10,000 inhabitants, a number that is considered acceptable, but lags behind other regions. The figures for Vlora are also worrying, where the index is only 11.3, indicating serious shortages in medical personnel.
It is noteworthy that the Gjirokaster region holds the second best position after Tirana, with 41.3 doctors per 10,000 inhabitants. The indicators in the regions of Leza, Fieri and Kukesi are similar, ranging between 17.2 and 19.7.
The worst picture is presented by Dibra, which records the lowest index in the country, with only 11 doctors per 10,000 residents.
Overall, Albania falls significantly short of the European average. In many developed EU countries, the ratios reach or even exceed 50-60 doctors per 10,000 inhabitants, while in less developed regions the number is lower.
Tirana may be approaching European standards, the picture in cities like Durres and Berat remains problematic, which highlights the great inequalities in the distribution of doctors across the territory.
