In Skopje, cancer patients wait up to 12 hours to receive therapy

At the University Clinic of Radiology and Oncology in Skopje, cancer patients continue to face long delays in receiving therapy, while the heavy burden on the system is making their situation even more difficult.

Because radiotherapy is offered only in the capital, many patients travel to Skopje from different cities across the country. According to testimony from several patients, the wait for therapy can last up to 12 hours, while queues begin forming in the early morning hours.

“The problem is not the doctors, but the system and the lack of organization. It would be much better if centers were also opened in the eastern and western parts of the country,” one patient said.

The association supporting cancer patients, “EZRA,” also considers the situation in the healthcare system alarming. The association’s executive director, Liridona Beqiri, stressed that the long waits are not linked only to organization, but also demonstrate the system’s failure to provide healthcare services.

On the other hand, the State Audit Office has proposed decentralizing oncology treatment in order to reduce waiting times and ease the burden on patients coming from other cities.

According to the director of the Oncology Clinic, Igor Stojkovski, around 5,500 new cancer cases were recorded in 2025 alone, while the clinic administers approximately 38,000 to 39,000 oncology therapy treatments each year.