VLEN announces fulfillment of pledge to employ 600 medical residents in public healthcare

The pledge to employ 600 privately funded medical residents in the public healthcare system is being put into practice, VLEN MP Kaltrina Beqiri said after the government decided to engage 300 new doctors in the second group.

According to Beqiri, the 300 residents in the first group have already been integrated into public healthcare. Meanwhile, the procedure for the other 300 doctors is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

“For 300 new doctors who began their specialist training at their own expense and will now become part of the public healthcare system, this is an important step,” Beqiri said at a press conference.

She said the process would also benefit hospitals, which have faced shortages of specialist staff for years. In this context, priority will be given to general and clinical hospitals outside Skopje, as well as departments where the shortage of doctors is greatest.

The VLEN MP emphasized that this measure is particularly important for residents of Tetovo, Gostivar, Kičevo, Struga and other municipalities, who are often forced to travel to Skopje to receive specialist services.

Beqiri added that, alongside infrastructure projects in healthcare, including the €74 million investment in Tetovo Clinical Hospital and the opening of the way for the construction of a new hospital in Kičevo, strengthening human resources remains essential.

“Hospitals need not only buildings and equipment, but also doctors. We promised to employ 600 medical residents, and we are fulfilling that pledge,” Beqiri said.