Annual progress report 2015 albanian contribution – input I september 2014 – may 2015 table of contents

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  The Decision no. 33, date 17.10.2014, addressed to Energy Regulator Entity and Operator of Electric Energy Distribution regarding energy standard contract for consumers. Through this Decision the assessment report is approved where some unfair contract terms are found and their nullification is ordered.
  
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  Decision no. 34, dated 26.12. 2014, addressed to an exchange office, in respect of some consumers complains, regarding lack of transparency on consumer information. Through this decision this operator is ordered to take all measures to ensure enforcement of the respective provisions of consumer protection law. Recently, this operator informed CPC on measures taken by him for enforcement of this decision.
  
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  Decision no. 35, dated 18.02.2015, addressed to Water Supply Regulator Entity regarding water standard contract for consumers. Through this Decision the assessment report is approved where some unfair contract terms are found and their nullification is ordered.
  
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  Decision no. 35, dated 18.02.2015, addressed to of Vodafone and Eagle mobile operators and Electronic Communications and Postal Authority, regarding complain of Vodafone against Eagle Mobile, pretending unfair commercial practices during advertisement “Eagle, the only 3.5 G network". Through this decision CPC ordered the cessation of this case as business to business relationship and with not proven consequences for consumers.
  

The above mentioned assessment of standard contracts for consumers is an initiative of CPC and CPU according to objective of the CPMS strategy. All the decisions of CPC are published on the Ministry’s webpage.

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  According to the objectives defined in the draft strategy “On consumer protection and market surveillance 2014-2020”, during November- December 2014, an evaluation of commercial practices in the field of travel packages, implementing consumer protection legislation is performed through: organization of surveys to 45 operators (travel agencies) in Tirana; and drafting an assessment report for the situation in the field of travel packages, according to the findings of the surveys.
  

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  An awareness campaign with the slogan "Use your rights" was initiated in September 2014. The main activities of this campaign: a questionnaire on consumer rights is completed in collaboration with consumer associations and some municipalities; a presentation about consumer rights was held with students of some public and non-public Universities in Tirana; the preparation of 5000 leaflets with MEDTTE budget and distributed by Albanian Mail in key areas of Tirana and some of Albania's main cities.
  
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  The preparation of some brochures/publications on the consumer rights, the consumer credits and the package travel, that are also available in the new rubric “Consumer protection” in webpage of MEDTTE. In this page consumers also can download the complaint form for complains.
  

28.2 Health Protection

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  Law No. 138/2014 “On the Palliative Care in the Republic of Albania”. (Approved) is intended to approximate (Partial harmonization) Resolution of Council of European Union of 13 December 1993 on guidelines “Europe against cancer”.
  
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  Draft law “On Biocide Products”, sent for notification to WTO.
  

Biocide Product Regulation (BPR, Regulation (EU) 528/2012) concerning the placing on the market and use of biocide products, which are used to protect humans, animals, materials or articles against harmful organisms, like pests or bacteria, by the action of the active substances contained in the biocide product.

1. 
   Assessment, counselling, treatment, and life style factors attending;
   
2. 
   Measurement, assessment, counselling, referral and physiological parameters attending;
   
3. 
   Measurement, assessment, counselling, treatment, referral and biochemical parameters attending.
   

This is the first major and concrete step, towards the Universal Health Coverage.

To reach the vulnerable population at the age group 40-65 years old eligible to the basic medical control, there are foreseen to be operational in the territory five mobile units. Those mobile units will perform their control during the May 1^st to September 30^th of each year.
Now days all the legal and regulatory framework is adapted as well medical guidelines. The implementation of such project was made possible through a PPP procedure.
Investments are realized and are going to be realized in primary health care, including:

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  Reconstruction of the Polyclinic of Specialties No. 2 in Tirana;
  
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  New health Center Divjaka;
  
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  Health Center Koplik;
  
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  Health  Center Rrogozhina;
  
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  Health Center in the Ana e Malit (Shkodra);
  
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  The sealed rooms establishing, where diagnostic equipment will be placed, in city of Korça and Tirana.
  

The decree of Law No 138/2014 "On palliative care in the Republic of Albania", which provides the manners on service organization, the education of professionals in this field and provides access to drugs and social support for terminally ill patients.

During the monitoring process are being tested: four target groups of the 150 services and of the 42 hospitals in the country: a) inpatient and / or receiving service; b) patients who are hospitalized through the Emergency Service; c) doctors in hospitals; d) nurses in hospitals. Also are interviewed doctors, nurses and patients to outpatient care in Tirana. The interviews are conducted with different techniques; patients are interviewed face to face on the basis of a semi-structured questionnaire, while doctors and nurses fill out individually a structured questionnaire. During the period October- March 2015 were interviewed about 300 doctors (from 1244 hospital care physicians) and 700 nurses (from 4253 nurses’ hospital care).

The Evaluations Boxes are placed in all hospitals with questionnaires which are available to patients, family members and citizens to express their estimations and opinions on services obtained from hospital services.

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  Following the reported cases (October, November);
  

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  Systematic Analyzing of the list of reimbursable drugs description 2014;
  
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  Continuous surveillance of hospital services;
  
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  Surveillance and continuous provision of medicines;
  
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  New guideline on equipment maintenance manners in the public hospitals.
  
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  Feasibility studies completed for two residential community mental health centres in the district of Korça.
  
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  Reconstruction of primary health care centres in the district of Shkodra and Kavaja.
  
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  Procurement of two mobile mammography machines for boosting the breast cancer screening programme.
  
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  A Vector Control Programme at the coastal areas, including the wetlands, was carried out during 2014, using biological means to control mosquitoes.
  
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  Law “On the medical emergency care service” Nr.147/2014. The Law sets the legal framework for establishing a national integrated emergency care service, as compared to the fragmented existing one, reported by the citizens as performing poorly.
  
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  Emergency Care strengthened through the procurement of 20 ambulances and one helicopter.
  
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  Emergency preparedness:  enhancement of the capabilities of remote health care centres at risk of being blocked by snowfall, by increasing the essential stock of drugs and medical materials.
  

The main developments in the field of health disaggregated by key fields are described as follows:

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  Review regulation on “Quality assurance in Blood transfusion service. approved with order of Minister of Health / Directive 2005/61/EC
  
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  Review regulation on Inspection of blood transfusion service
  
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  Review regulation on the implementation of the hemovigilance scheme
  
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  Review regulation on Testing of blood donor for infective marker transmitted by blood transfusion
  
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  regulation on the implementation of the hemovigilance scheme.
  
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  Review regulation “on for practical application of surgical blood ordering scheme “
  
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  Review regulation “on Function of blood transfusion service”
  
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  Review regulation “For the procedure of search, selection, use of blood and its components to hospitals in the hospital of Republic of Albania”
  
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  Clinical used of blood approved with Order of Minister of Health.
  

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  Training of health promotion specialists regarding the organization of the world day without smoking and providing brief interventions for smokers to quit it. This meeting was supported by WHO.
  
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  Meeting with health promotion specialists in Shkodra and Elbasani, how to work in the field of tobacco control.
  
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  Training family doctors in Tirana (60) with the theme: "How to help smokers to quit smoking".
  
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  Training with family doctors across the country "On the screening of the population 40-65 years old, about the use of tobacco and alcohol, test (ASSIST) and brief interventions.
  
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  Raising awareness in media about tobacco damage on health and smoking ban. 
  
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  Prepared a brochure on the topic: "QUIT smoking.
  
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  Distribution of information materials on tobacco control.
  

Council of Ministers Order No.762, date 12 November of 2014, on “Organization and provision of Mental Health care for people who are in residential care institutions”, according to the article 18, paragraph 2 of Law No.44/2012 "On Mental Health".

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  To approximate the Directives and Regulations of European Union, with regard to placing on the market of cosmetic products and the services
  
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  Having into account the experiences of  similar countries;
  
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  To harmonize the draft – law with legislation into force regarding to health, chemicals and environment;
  
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  To be consulted with interest groups.
  

The draft – law has to be sent to the Minister of Health Cabinet, within July 15^th, 2015.

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  Council of Ministers Decision no 645, of October 1^st, 2014 “On establishment and functioning manner of Drug Pricing Commission”;
  
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  Council of Ministers Decision no 24 of January 14^th, 2015 “On approval of the structure and functioning manner and organization of National Agency of Drugs and Medical Devices”;
  
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  Council of Ministers Decision no. 142, of February 18^th, 2015 “On laying down rules for issuing of the Minister of Health Authorization on import of drugs without marketing authorization”;
  
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  Council of Ministers Decision no. 143, of February 18^th, 2015 "On defining the manufacturing and trading margins of drugs”;
  
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  Council of Ministers Decision no. 202, of March 4^th, 2015 “On approval of the list of drugs reimbursed by the Compulsory Insurance Health Care Fund and their coverage size prices”;
  
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  Council of Ministers Decision of 8 April 2015 “On approval of the regulation for issuing the marketing authorization of drugs and their classification in the Republic of Albania”
  
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  Minister of Health Order no. 166, of April 9^th, 2015 “On establishment of the working group on preparing the draft – law “On cosmetic products”.
  

By Order of the Minister of Health no. 446 dated 10.22.2014 "On the development of the training of medical staff for basic medical examination for citizens aged 40-65 years", the process of medical staff training Family Doctor (MPF) and 410 nurses in health centers in the country. The training of medical staff began in October 2014 and was completed at the end of January 2015. The training of medical staff of health centers was conducted by trainers certified by the Ministry of Health, on the basis of accredited programs and curricula approved and modelled in order to National Control Program Basic Medical. The nursing staff was trained to use the ECG, blood pressure measurement, blood taken for analysis, etc.

CHAPTER 29: CUSTOMS UNION