Prishtina, 16 March 2009
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, has taken another significant step toward implementing the government’s Five Strategic Priorities for 2009. After appointing Dr. David Klein as international economic advisor to the Prime Minister, this evening, the well-known Albanian-American doctor, Dr. Rifat Latifi, will arrive in Kosovo in order to begin working as the international health advisor to the Prime Minister. Appointing Dr. Latifi to this position is the concretization of commitment to the health sector, which is one of the strategic priorities of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo.
During his first visit in this capacity, Dr. Latifi will hold various meetings in order to get the views of all actors involved in Kosovar health. Tomorrow he will visit the University Clinical Center of Kosovo and some hospitals throughout Kosovo, in order to learn more about the difficulties which confront patients and health care provides. On Wednesday, he will meet with officials and professionals in the health sector, in order to discuss methods of improving the health care infrastructure to suit the needs of all Kosovars. On Thursday, Dr. Latifi will discuss his findings with the Prime Minister and they will exchange ideas about the best way to progress toward comprehensive improvements in Kosovar health. After this discussion, a joint press conference will be held relating to the conclusions of Dr. Latifi’s first visit.
Dr. Latifi is planning to use this visit to increase his knowledge on the situation and the challenges of Kosovar health, in order to create a more detailed strategic plan for improving health care in 2009 and beyond.
Dr. Latifi is qualified for this position as an expert with global experience, someone who is aware of the problems of the Kosovar health sector and also a doctor who is well-known internationally. He graduated in medicine from the University of Prishtina and later specialized as a surgeon at the University of Prishtina and at Yale Univeristy. During his rich career, he has worked in universities and hospital centres in Texas, Cleveland, Philadelphia, New York and Richmond Virginia. Currently, he is Professor of Clinical Surgery at Arizona University, where he holds several important positions, including the position of Vice Chairman of International Relations and Associate Director of Trauma, Critical Surgical Care and Emergency Surgery, as well as Director of Telemedicine Services. Dr. Latifi is also well known academically and has published eight books and over 100 scientific articles as author or co-author.
Dr. Rifat Latifi is a Kosovar who has dedicated his life to the wellbeing of patients in Kosovo and elsewhere, as well as to concrete commitments towards reforming health care in Kosovo.
