Aging and Emigration: The Challenges of Financing Healthcare in Albania

Albania’s healthcare system is facing increasing pressures due to demographic aging, the departure of citizens, and the spread of chronic diseases. A World Bank analysis highlights that the country is encountering ever-greater difficulties in providing medical care, while budget allocations for this sector remain among the lowest in the Western Balkans.

The population is aging rapidly. Data show that in 2023, the age group over 65 comprised around 16% of the total, which has increased the burden of chronic pathologies such as cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular accidents, tumors, respiratory diseases, and Alzheimer’s.

The international institution emphasizes that attention in the current healthcare system is mainly focused on hospital structures, overshadowing primary care and preventive measures, which require greater prioritization.

During 2023, total health expenditures reached about 4.9% of Gross Domestic Product, while the share covered by the public budget was approximately 3.5% of GDP. Calculated per capita, Albania allocates around 301 dollars from state funds for healthcare, a figure that is half the average of some neighboring countries.

The problem, according to the report, lies not simply in the volume of financial resources, but in how they are distributed. The overwhelming majority of funds is absorbed by hospitals, while more significant investments are needed in prevention and long-term management of chronic diseases.

To address these issues, the World Bank suggests strengthening primary healthcare, improving contribution collection mechanisms, applying taxes on goods harmful to health, and reconfiguring the hospital network.

The future of healthcare in the country, the document concludes, will depend on the capacity to optimize the use of existing funds and to adapt to a population that is shrinking, aging, and presenting increasingly complex medical needs.