"Together for life" has held today the second training session for the network of patient NGOs related to the recognition of patients' legal rights.
Present at this event were representatives from the Association of Patients with Diabetes, Europa Donna Albania, Sue Ryder Albania, the Association of Hemodialysis Patients, representatives from the Association of Hepatitis Patients, as well as other interested persons.
Ledia Muraku, legal expert, explained to the participants all the legal steps and procedures to be followed in case of violation of their rights, addressing three relevant institutions, such as the Ombudsman, the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination and Judicial Institutions, while bringing successful examples of prosecuting these cases.
"We can address the People's Advocate with a request in any case of violation of our rights, negligence or misconduct of state institutions, or if you are a victim of an injustice. We can address it as an individual or as a group of individuals, what should be taken into account is the request which should be well-defined and not anonymous ", informed Ledia Muraku.
The People's Advocate has only a recommendation target and only on state institutions.
You can only contact the Commissioner for Protection against Discrimination on issues such as: discrimination or unequal treatment in a hospital service. You can address them as a single individual, as a group of individuals, or as an organization of legitimate interest. Unlike the People's Advocate, in addition to public institutions, you can also turn to private institutions.
The court is the other link to which any citizen can turn if he / she has been treated carelessly or has not been given the necessary assistance. "With the review of the case by the Court, and in case the citizen wins the criminal trial, he has the right to compensation", she added.
Alma Sheme, a representative from the Association of Hemodialysis Patients, raised the issue of transportation for hemodialysis patients, stressing that there are currently 70 people who do not receive transportation reimbursement.
"We have set up a commission within the directorate of QSUT for this issue, but we did not find a solution. We sent it to the minister of that time, Ilir Beqaj, we did not receive an answer. There are currently 70 patients who do not receive reimbursement, what should I do in this case ?! ”
For her part, the legal representative Ledia Muraku stressed that we should not give up in these cases. We have the institution of the People's Advocate, we have the Court, to whom we can turn and constantly urge them for our requests ".
While the representative of the Association of Patients with Diabetes, Suela Kapedani, seeking a solution, raised the issue of reimbursement of vouchers for young patients with diabetes, where she stressed that despite the fact that a special fund has been approved for this, it has not been implemented yet.
Another issue of interest during the discussion was the law on kidney transplantation, where Ardiana Çapi, representative of the Association of Pharmacists, stressed that this is a very sensitive issue that must be seen.
"Currently in Albania, according to the law on kidney transplantation, a person can become a donor only for his family circle. What about those people who do not have relatives, are orphans or abandoned, what happens in this case ?! That is why I put the emphasis on Eurotransplant, for a kidney to be donated not only by family members, but also from abroad.
A question of interest in the focus of the participants was also the role of the mediator institution, where the participants addressed the legal expert, Mrs. Muraku, if they can bring these issues to a solution in this institution.
Mrs. Muraku explained that the mediator is a private entity, which increases costs as it has to be paid. He simply reaches an agreement between the two parties, signing a drafting contract, and does not solve the problem between them.
At the end of this training, the representatives of "Together for life" expressed their willingness to support the strengthening of the voice of patients, while emphasizing that such training will continue in the future. Shendeti.com.al
