Evis Sala has resigned from her post as minister of Health and Social Welfare. In her public reaction, she linked her departure to several international commitments in the fields of oncology, artificial intelligence and innovation, while describing her year at the head of the ministry as a period with “many challenges and difficulties.”
The departure was announced by Sala herself
Through a public message, Sala said that her final meeting as a member of the government cabinet had taken place today. According to her account, the decision to step down comes after she accepted important international commitments in the field in which she has professional expertise.
She presented the end of her term as the close of an intensive year of work in a sector that, by her own account as well, carries major difficulties and numerous problems. In her message, Sala thanked Prime Minister Edi Rama for the trust and support during the time she led the ministry.
The balance sheet presented by the former minister
In her statement, Sala listed a series of achievements that, according to her, were recorded during the past year in health and social welfare. She placed emphasis on the oncology reform, the establishment of the National Oncology Institute, the building of the National Oncology Network and cooperation with the National Cancer Institute in Milan.
Also according to her, 38 unified treatment protocols were approved, chemotherapy centers were improved and the fund for anti-tumor medicines was increased. Sala also mentioned the expansion of innovative medicines, the increase in treatments for cancer patients, as well as investments in radiotherapy, imaging and several specialized hospital services.
Claims of reforms and services
In her farewell message, the former minister also spoke of reduced waiting times for CT scans and MRI exams, the start of a transition toward “paperless” hospitals and the use of artificial intelligence in organizing clinical and imaging information.
She also mentioned salary increases for around 20,000 doctors and nurses, the engagement of the Albanian diaspora in healthcare, as well as several measures in the social field, including the doubling of payments for children with disabilities and the recognition of social contributions for their caregivers. These remain claims presented by the former minister herself in her departure balance sheet.
A departure in a thankful tone, but without further political explanations
Beyond the list of results she attributed to her term, Sala gave no further explanation about the political circumstances of her departure, nor whether the resignation is linked to internal developments in the government. She insisted that her commitment to Albania is not tied to a post and that it will continue through her knowledge, experience and international professional network.
Her departure comes after only one year at the head of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, while so far her public message has remained focused on the professional justification for the resignation and on the balance sheet she gives herself at the end of her term.
Her resignation now also raises the issue of a replacement in one of the most sensitive ministries, where promises of reform and official balance sheets continually clash with the reality faced by patients and the chronic problems of the system.
It remains to be seen whether the government will provide a fuller explanation for this move, beyond the reasoning made public by the former minister herself.