Tirana, 26 February 2021 – Today UNFPA Albania presented a detailed analysis of Demographic and Health Challenges facing Albania in the 21st Century. Prepared by a group of experts in the fields of demography and public health, from a scientific perspective, this report is very important as it highlights the urgent challenges Albania faces today, as well as provides reccommendations for integrated policies as a tool to address such challenges, policies not just for the health of young children, but their mothers’ as well.
“The report highlights the need to focus on the potential of young people in the country through development of policies, not only to stop migration, but also to slow down the aging process. The report also emphasizes that the focus on the elderly should be a new agenda for health and social care, as Albanian population is aging at a very high rate. The report does not leave aside focus on human rights and reproductive health rights. Addressing the regulation of abortion, sex-bias abortion, as well as the empowerment of women in decision-making in all aspects of life, this report underlines the importance of reproductive health rights as part of human rights.’, - said Prof. Dr. Arjan Gjonca, Expert in Demography, London School of Economics, one of the authors of this report.
"The report demonstrates the steady improvement of many health indicators in recent years, but also the need to increase the level of health education of the entire population and calls for serious government commitment to increased sustainable financing for the health sector as a basic precondition to guarantee universal health coverage.”, - emphasized Dr. Genc Burazeri, Public Health Expert another author of this report.
The report is a continuation of the work done through the recent Albania Demographic and Health Survey 2017-2018 (ADHS 2017-2018) and makes use not just of all available ADHS data on Albania, but also of a large number of databases available on the issues it addresses, from vital registration and census data to utilisation of services data and other specific population studies.
"UNFPA hopes that this in-depth analysis will serve as a basis for the government and non-governmental public sector to further improve policies related to the health and demographics of the Albanian people.”, - stated Ms. Elsona Agolli, PD & Gender Programme Analyst, UNFPA Albania.
Presentation of this report was organized by UNFPA in partnership with the Parliamentary Commission for Health, Labour and Social Issues coordinated by NESMARK Foundation, an Implmeneting Partner of UNFPA Albania.
Read full report here: https://albania.unfpa.org/en/publications/demographic-and-health-challenges-facing-albania-21st-century
