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The General Assembly Meeting of ASKS Membership is Held
Pristina, 27.03.2025

The First General Assembly Meeting of the Membership of the Association of Private Hospitals of Kosovo for 2025 was Held

The first meeting of the Membership of the Association of Private Hospitals of Kosovo (ASPKS) for the year 2025 has been held. The meeting was attended by representatives of all member Private Hospitals of ASPKS.

The meeting was opened by the Chairman of the Assembly of Members, Mr. Floren Kavaj, who welcomed the participants and expressed gratitude for their collaboration and unity in pursuing equal objectives within Kosovo’s healthcare sector.

The Chairman of the Board, Mr. Armend Agani, presented the 2024 annual report to the Members, outlining the collective achievements and successes of ASPKS throughout the year. He highlighted the association’s collaboration with the Ministry of Health and other healthcare stakeholders, as well as the strengthened role of private hospitals in navigating legal changes and harmonization efforts for the benefit of Kosovo’s citizens. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of the participation of representatives from the European Union of Private Hospitals (UEHP), stating that their presence in Kosovo has paved the way for future partnerships between private hospitals, government healthcare institutions, and the largest organization in Europe representing private hospital interests.

The Secretary General of ASPKS, Mr. Armend Vokshi, presented financial reports and statements to all members, providing insights into the financial activities of ASPKS throughout 2024. He also highlighted the support from donors for the organization’s largest healthcare-related event of the year—the Annual International Conference on the Healthcare Sector, held in December 2024.

Furthermore, Mr. Vokshi introduced the role and responsibilities of the Health Committee within ASPKS, which was established in December 2024 and consists of five healthcare professionals: Dr. Dërgut Aliu, Dr. Afrim Muhaxhiri, Dr. Hyrije Balakaj, Dr. Nazim Dakaj, Dr. Adem Klokoqi.

This committee will play a crucial role in shaping healthcare policies and initiatives undertaken by ASPKS in 2025.

The members unanimously supported and commended ASPKS’s work, approving the 2024 annual reports and the decision to establish the Health Committee.

Lastly, the Work Plan for 2025 was presented, emphasizing a collaborative and developmental approach to healthcare policies, focusing on protecting the interests of private hospitals and enhancing patient well-being.

It was also decided that ASPKS will soon establish the Committee for Continuous Education, aiming to collaborate with relevant institutions and organizations for the organization of workshops, training sessions, and accredited congresses featuring healthcare professionals from the private and public sectors, as well as international experts.

The year 2025 marks a continued commitment to achieving ASPKS’s objectives in advancing Kosovo’s healthcare sector and strengthening the role of Private Hospitals in promoting achievements and opportunities in Kosovo’s healthcare industry.

/ASPKS

Memorandum of Cooperation between the Kosovo Medical Chamber and the Association of Private Hospitals of Kosovo
ASPKS, September, 2024

The President of the Kosovo Medical Chamber, Dr. Pleurat Sejdiu, hosted a meeting and signed a cooperation agreement with the Chairman of the ASPKS Board, Mr. Armend Agani, with the presence of Mr. Arton Kubati, a member of the ASPKS Board.

This memorandum aims to foster close development and cooperation between the parties to ensure the implementation of existing legislation and the advancement of medical personnel in the Republic of Kosovo, with a focus on enhancing scientific and practical knowledge in the field of medicine.

The purpose of this memorandum is to strengthen collaboration between the parties, considering the nature of their activities and mutual relations.

/ASPKS

The Memorandum of Cooperation between ASPKS and the College of Surgeons of Kosovo has been signed!
ASPKS, September, 2024

In the presence of the Chairman of the ASPKS Board, Mr. Armend Agani, and the President of the College of Surgeons of Kosovo, Mr. Rifat Latifi, during the Third Congress of the College, the Memorandum of Cooperation was signed. The primary goal of this agreement is to engage both parties in strengthening surgery in Kosovo, ensuring the sustainable development of medical services, and promoting in-country treatments to prevent the need for patients to seek medical care abroad. It also aims to raise awareness among the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo and beyond that solutions can be found within Kosovo.

Additionally, the memorandum focuses on advocating with the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo to strengthen cooperation and develop joint policies in support of healthcare professionals and private hospitals in Kosovo.

ASPKS is the only association representing private hospitals in Kosovo, and collaborations like this will create a cooperative and unified approach to advancing healthcare goals for all citizens of the Republic of Kosovo.

/ASPKS

The Association of Private Hospitals becomes part of the Chamber of Commerce of Kosovo
Chamber of Commerce, 20.12.2023

We are pleased to announce that from today the Association of Private Hospitals becomes part of the Chamber of Commerce of Kosovo to continue the common journey with joint projects in the health sector.
We are happy to be together on this very important journey for our country!

/ Chamber of Commerce

Annual Conference of the Association of Private Hospitals of Kosovo!
ASPKS, 08.12.2023
Conversation with the Minister of Health Mr. Arben Vitia and the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee for Health and Social Welfare Mrs. Fatmire Mulhaxha Kollçaku, the President of the Chamber of Doctors of Kosovo Mr. Pleurat Sejdiu, the President of the Association of Patients’ Rights Mr. Besim Kodra, the President of the Chamber of Commerce of Kosovo Mr. Lulzim Rafuna.
The issues that were discussed today are focused on the Development of Health in Kosovo, the strengthening of the Cooperation between the Private Health Sector and the Public Sector, raising the capacities of Health Professionals as well as raising transparency and accountability regarding the health treatment of patients.
Public and private hospitals, cooperation between them is considered important
 
/ASPKS
Private hospitals demand involvement in processes, Vitia says that he will not tolerate informality
Gazeta Shneta, 08.12.2023

The Association of Private Hospitals of Kosovo held a conference today, where the Minister of Health, Arben Vitia, also participated. The latter offered his cooperation but also warned that he will not tolerate informality.

Minister of Health Arben Vitia participated in the conference of the Association of Private Hospitals in Kosovo held today. Vitia has offered cooperation to this organization, in order to increase the quality of services for patients, writes Gazeta Shneta.

“Together with the association, we have agreed that good practices and experience should serve in many dimensions and during the drafting of laws and other legal acts. The exchange of experiences is also very important, we can have opportunities in training and education for the public sector. Even the public sector can benefit from this sector, which for bureaucratic reasons sometimes delays some projects”, said Vitia.

He said that the possibilities of conflict of interest should be prevented.

“We must prevent the possibility of conflict of interest. In our upcoming meetings, which will not be the last, I believe they will serve the common interest and I hope the private sector. Treatment of patients outside public institutions and our interest is to invest as much as we can in the public sector to reduce the costs of patients abroad. Our interest is for patients to remain within Kosovo and for the private sector to develop even more so that patients receive dignified and quality treatment,” said Vitia.

The minister has stated that they will not tolerate informality in private institutions.

“Our requests are to address informality and conflict of interest because this is in the interest of the hospitals as well as the patients. In some businesses, sometimes it is enough not to hinder them and open their way. I promise that we will involve as many participants as possible in the drafting of the legislation and I invite you to be proactive. But we will not tolerate informality, especially now that we have increased the number of inspectors”, declared Vitia.

 

Armend Agani, chairman of the Board of the Association, said that this organization was founded in 2020 and consists of 30 private hospitals.

“It is an independent organization that protects professional interests, secures the ethical and medical codes, continuous professional education and is committed to the highest quality services for the benefit of health with a focus on the patient”, he said.

According to Agani, in recent years, about 100 million euros have been invested in the private sector in medical technology and bringing doctors and experts from abroad. “Even today, private investments are made by staying close to technology and science. We have offered partnership to the MOH and all other institutions dealing with health”, declared Agani.

The chairman of the Chamber of Doctors of Kosovo, Pleurat Sejdiu, also participated in this conference. He said that the public and the private sector have many problems, but the problems of the private sector do not appear in public.

Sejdiu said that about 85 percent of patients who go outside Kosovo would have to stay here. “Our money is going abroad. There are many reasons, lack of investment in equipment and staff training, which is much easier to do in the private sector”, said Sejdiu.

Sejdiu, too, has called for the fight against informality and conflict of interest between doctors and private hospitals. “We refer patients from the public sector because the private sector enables this through informality. You must fight informality because with this we will not have unemployed doctors”, said Sejdiu.

The head of the CDK has also requested the membership of foreign doctors in the Chamber, as according to him, someone in the Ministry of Health is hindering this process.

“Foreign doctors must join the chamber. A little devil is mixing them up there in MoH. Otherwise, we cannot investigate if something happens because they are not members of the Chamber”, stated Sejdiu.

/ Gazeta Shneta

Private hospitals with Association, want to be part of the legal changes
Gazeta Shneta, 15.05.2023

General and special hospitals have joined together in an Association through which they aim to represent their demands in legal changes.

 

ASPKS is the acronym of the Association of 33 Private Hospitals in Kosovo, which was established in order to represent their demands in the legal changes in the private health sector.

According to an announcement from this Association, their intentions are to be included in the working groups for legislative changes which, according to them, have had a negative impact on patients, hospitals and the Government’s budget.

“Fund for treatments outside public health institutions – during these years, a neglect of the Private Hospitals of Kosovo in participation and cooperation with the Fund has been observed. The fund has paid the expenses multiple times even for surgical procedures which are performed in the RKS. This practice should be stopped in the interest of RKS and institutions of Public and Private health, but also in the interest of the patient and the budget of Kosovo. To have the active participation of ASPKS”, the announcement states.

ASPKS also requests the facilitation of procedures for the licensing of medical experts from abroad, to contribute to the education and training of health staff in Kosovo, which according to them will affect the quality of health services and prevent the flight of medical staff and patients from Kosovo.

“Problems faced by Private Hospitals – Protocols, specializations, subspecializations, lack of qualitative staff, lack of subspecialized professional staff in certain areas such as – emergency medicine doctors, laparoscopic surgeons, minimally invasive medicine surgeons, endovascular surgery surgeons, spinal surgeons, neurosurgeons, interventional radiologists, oncosurgery, microsurgery, traumatologists, ENT surgeons, transplants, etc., says the announcement.

“Decreasing the exit of patients outside the RKS for treatment – investment in the health capacities of the RKS in equipment and professional health staff, continuous education, cooperation with Private and Public Hospitals in the RKS, the increase of health capacities, joint investments, the liberalization of the arrival of experts from abroad for help, training, lectures, operations in Public and Private Hospitals in RKS. Reducing the exit of the medical staff outside the RKS – we must cooperate in preventing and stopping this phenomenon. The possibility of cooperation with the Ministry of Health – training, education of specialists from Public Health Institutions, training with sophisticated equipment, exchange of experiences of good health practice, dealing with possible crises and pandemics”, says the ASPKS announcement.

/Gazeta Shneta

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