The burden of disease is increasing, respiratory infections will increase annually by over 15% in 2024

2024-06-04 13:55:00, Shëndeti CNA

The burden of disease is increasing, respiratory infections will increase

Illustrative photo

The country's population is decreasing, but the burden of disease in the population is increasing rapidly, official data suggest.

The Institute of Public Health, which, among other things, processes data on the progress of infections, has reported that during the five months of 2024, respiratory infections in the population were 15-20 percent higher compared to 2023. Also, other symptoms that accompanying viruses were also higher than last year.

This year, the health sector has faced the highest workload after the pandemic, as a result of a virus with prolonged symptoms and the in-depth treatment that had to be applied.

More detailed data show that the counties with the highest incidence of infections were those with older populations.

According to the graph below, Gjirokastra had the highest incidence of respiratory infections per 10,000 inhabitants in the last week of May 2023, followed by Dibra, Hasi, Vlora and Tropoja.

After the Covid-19 pandemic, the burden of diseases in the population has increased and the chronically ill are increasing rapidly due to the aging of the population.

The Compulsory Health Care Insurance Fund (MFSI) reported that in 2023, chronic diseases and the number of diagnoses per patient increased the costs for drug reimbursement.

According to the data of the monitoring report of the Ministry of Health, the natural increase of chronic diseases is about 6% in 2023 compared to 2022.

The natural increase of chronic diseases has been influenced by new cases and cases with changes in the medication regimen.

According to official data from FSDKSH, chronic diseases increased drug reimbursement expenses by 227.7 million, about 6% more than the previous year.

Liquidations of liabilities from the previous year were also included in the total amount of reimbursement payments. Although the budget plan was respected in payments, in 2023, the list-indicators accepted for the reimbursement of drugs and equipment reached the value of 12.1 billion ALL, or 100.5% of the planning, more than the plan for the value of about 58 million ALL .

At the end of the year, from the list-indicators accepted for the reimbursement of drugs and equipment, about ALL 796 million remained unpaid. Compared to the previous year, the year-end liabilities increased by 5.8%, or for the value of ALL 673 million, declares FSDKSH./ Monitor magazine