Partnership between the CDF, the Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo

Background

Communicable diseases such as Tuberculosis, HIV, Covid 19, Influenza and many others with epidemic and pandemic potential, remain major public and global health challenges.

Over the past five years, CDF, with the support of the Global Fund and in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, the National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo (NIPHK), public health institutions across Kosovo, as well as civil society organizations, has contributed to reducing morbidity and mortality from these communicable diseases.

CDF has made serious investments in the development of health policies for planning, preparedness and response to infectious diseases with pandemic potential, as well as early detection and accurate diagnosis, by strengthening laboratory surveillance capacities, with the most modern equipment (art of science) and training staff in the implementation of the most modern diagnostic methods.

Modern diagnostics for the citizens of Kosovo

Strengthening and modernizing diagnostic capacities represents a large group of activities of the TB, HIV and Covid 19 Response Mechanism (C19RM) Programs implemented by CDF supported by grants from the Global Fund for Kosovo. Through these activities, infrastructural and human capacities for testing for infectious diseases have been built in public health institutions in Kosovo.

The reference laboratories for HIV, TB and infectious respiratory diseases of the National Institute of Public Health and health institutions throughout Kosovo have been supplied with equipment that diagnose infectious diseases at the molecular and genetic level, enabling Kosovo citizens to access diagnostic services that quickly and accurately identify in detail the type and subtypes of infectious disease agents.

Furthermore, equipment can also detect the resistance of disease agents to certain drugs, such as the resistance to first-line anti-tubercular drugs and antiretroviral drugs. The detection of drug resistance towards disease agents enables accurate and efficient treatment and the best outcomes for patients.

With the implementation of these novel approaches in the diagnostics of infectious diseases, Kosovo citizens have been provided with easy and affordable access to modern, accurate and rapid diagnostic services for Tuberculosis, HIV, Covid 19, and other respiratory infections of public health importance. All these tests are carried out locally and without the need to travel abroad.

Outcomes and achievements

The most important outcome of these investments are the early detection of infectious diseases, preventing of their spread, which means fewer sick people and fewer deaths from infectious diseases, consequently more health and well-being for patients, their families and the wider population of Kosovo.

Early detection and accurate diagnosis, in a public health sense, enables improved surveillance, signaling and control of infectious diseases with epidemic potential and accelerated access to appropriate treatment.

In the institutional aspect, investments in building the capacities of the NIPHK laboratories have resulted in international certifications for quality control and 100% accuracy of laboratory results from referent centers of excellence in Europe, and with a team of trained and prepared experts.

Why it matters

With the great and joint work of CDF, Kosovo institutions, in partnership with civil society organizations and the Global Fund, Kosovo is one step closer to developed countries in preparing for and responding to infectious diseases that threaten public health and in reducing morbidity and mortality from these diseases.

“Public health knows no borders, it is everyone’s responsibility”