The fourth consultative meeting with representatives of the target group of patients, members of the community and local authorities in the Municipality of Vau i Dejes, marked another step towards raising the voice and building a constructive dialogue for dealing with the most priority issues that affect the lives of daily of the community.
The Mayor and Secretary of the Municipal Council and representatives from the Directorate of Social Service in the Municipality of Vau i Deja, were present at the meeting and offered a positive cooperative approach, both during the discussion and further in support of needs and requests within the limits of their power of action.
During the discussion, some of the most priority challenges faced by this target group were highlighted, focusing mainly on health care and socio-economic ones.
- For elderly patients, the insufficiency of financial support from the pensions they receive complicates their quality of life and access to essential services.
- Limited accessibility in obtaining health care services, due to the lack of 24-hour ambulance services in the area.
- Concerns regarding timely access to basic services as well as those related to critical health care needs, due to the limited-service delivery hours of the medical staff at the health center.
- The need for better standards and access to more effective treatments.
- The lack of public transport also isolates community members, especially those who experience health problems, hindering the receipt of services but also their opportunity to participate actively in the life of the community.
Beyond calling for increased attention to these issues by local decision-makers, it is necessary to strengthen advocacy efforts for funding and appropriate distribution of resources to address health care disparities and meet urgent community needs effectively, to local decision makers.
On the other hand, addressing these challenges and advocating on them requires a comprehensive approach focused on inclusive governance and active community involvement.
This meeting took place following the project "Increasing Community Engagement in Vau i Dejes, for the Resolution of Local Issues", with the financial support of the Small Grants Program of the Commission for Democracy and the US Embassy in Tirana.
