Mental health ailments are recognizing greater prevalence in the recent population. But capacities such as specialized human resources and number of beds are needed to cope with the affected patients. Albania unfortunately ranks last in Europe in terms of the number of doctors specializing in psychiatry, where according to INSTAT data there are only 25 in all of Albania. So for the 100 thousand inhabitants living in the country out of available there is only 1 doctor available. On the other hand, a survey conducted by INSTAT found that 60-70% of adults in Albania have experienced the disease of depression, a complex mental and emotional condition, commonly associated with sadness, bad mood that adversely affects productivity. mental and movements. Even according to psychiatrists, the trend of patients seeking specialized help from psychiatrists has been increasing.
According to data from INSTAT published in the Public Health Indicators, the number of beds in a specialized mental health service is 635. There are 25 psychiatric doctors in this specialized hospital service.
After Albania, Turkey ranks second in Europe for the low number of psychiatric doctors. According to Monitor estimates, based on Eurostat data on the number of specialist doctors and population of each country, there are 5 psychiatric doctors in Turkey per 100,000 inhabitants.
The rankings are followed by Bulgaria with 8 doctors, North Macedonia and Poland with 9, Malta and Spain with 10.
The highest number of psychiatric doctors is observed in high welfare countries. Switzerland holds the record for their highest number, with 51 psychiatrists estimated per 100,000 population, followed by Liechtenstein with 35 doctors, Germany with 27, Iceland with 26.
Even in the Nordic countries the number of psychiatrists is high, compared to the rest of Europe. There are 24 in Norway and Finland, and 23 in Sweden.
The demand for sedatives is increasing
An indication of depression is the increased consumption of soothing drugs in the country. According to confidential data from the Directorate General of Customs previously provided by Monitor, imports of Loram, Xanax and Citolex have increased significantly in the last three years. For 2016, they are 6-17% higher by medication type.
In 2016, 195,137 Loram packages (2.5 milligrams) were cleared from 167,000 in 2015, with an annual increase of 18%. Xanax imports increased by double digits (11%) and Ciltolex increased 6%. Customs sources claim that the growth rates of imports of these drugs have been high in the previous two years.
Source: Monitor
