Prishtina, 10 October 2022
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo this morning visited the University Hospital and Clinical Service of Kosovo (UHCSK). Accompanied by the Acting Minister of Health, Dafina Gexha-Bunjaku and the Deputy Minister of Health, Arsim Berisha, he was received by the Acting Director of UCHSK, Pranvera Zejnullahu-Raçi, the Chair of the Steering Board of this Institution, Aida Rexhepi and the Director of the UCHSK Internal Audit Unit, Musa Vitija.
Prime Minister Kurti initially congratulated the UCHSK staff on the services it provides to all patients, anywhere, without discrimination. The work and challenges of this institution as well as the need for investments in infrastructure were discussed during the meeting.
UCHSK provides services to the citizens of the Republic, anywhere, without discrimination. This institution regularly supplies 16,500 patients with medications for chronic conditions, and three types of insulin for 15,231 patients with diabetes. At the same time, besides the University Clinical Centre, it ensures that tasks and services and healthcare in regional hospitals are effectively provided.
The Prime Minister said that UCHSK supplies 70 percent of the medications from the essential list, 90 percent of the expendable medical supplies, and that we remain committed to increase order and discipline but also the services in order to achieve 100 percent of coverage. “Therefore, we are committed to work effectively together,” Prime Minister Kurti said.
At this visit, he pledged his support to UCHSK, for the new Acting Director of UCHSK, Dr. Pranvera Zejnullahu-Raçi, as well as the Director of the Audit Unit, Mr. Musa Vitija, whose car was set on fire twice in the yard of UCHSK.
Talking about the burnt car of Mr. Vitija, Prime Minister Kurti said that the accurate audit findings of the Director of this Unit, which indicate violations, seem to have vexed the corrupted, who are quite anxious about how these violations will be further addressed. The Prime Minister congratulated Mr. Vitija on his courage to show up to work despite the attacks.
At the same time, Prime Minister Kurti also expressed his indignation against two companies, which were not at the level of duty. He was referring to the physical security company “Security Company” and “Quantic”, responsible for monitoring the yard premises by security cameras, which were not working when the car of Director Musa Vitija was set on fire.
Prime Minister Kurti said the country needs people like Musa Vitija who went back to work two days after his car was set on fire. “These are the officials serving the citizens and protecting the republic,” Prime Minister Kurti added, who committed to do everything to the best of their ability and knowledge to prevent such cases from happening again, and for the criminals, who set fire to the car in the hospital yard, to be sent to prison.
On the other hand, the Acting Director of UCHSK, Pranvera Zejnullahu-Raçi said that they feel honoured with the visit of the Prime Minister and they see this visit as a sign of support for the work that has been done so far and support for what they plan to do in the future. She also thanked the Prime Minister for his support regarding the case that occurred last Friday. In relation to that, the Acting Director of UCHSK said that she has asked the competent persons responsible for technical services to provide her a detailed report on all the failure links, and has asked to undertake emergency measures this week for the security of premises. Further, Mrs. Zejnullahu-Raçi said that, at today’s meeting, Prime Minister Kurti was informed about the actions and efforts undertaken to impose order in the clinic and to improve healthcare services.
The complete press statement of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, after his visit at UCHSK:
Today I visited the University Clinical Hospital Service of Kosovo which provides services to the citizens of the Republic, anywhere, without discrimination. They regularly supply 16,500 patients with medications for chronic conditions, and three types of insulin for 15,231 patients with diabetes. At the same time, they ensure that tasks and services and healthcare are effectively provided in the regional hospitals, besides here at the University Clinical Centre. The purpose of my visit is to express my support to the new Acting Director of UCHSK, Dr. Pranvera Zejnullahu-Raçi, a visit that is conducted with the Acting Minister of Health, Dr. Dafina Gexha Bunjaku, and the Deputy Minister Dr. Arsim Berisha, as well as the Chair of the UCHSK Board, Dr. Aida Namani Rexhepi, however, as you can see, we are also accompanied by Mr. Musa Vitija, who is the Director of the Audit Unit, whose car was set on fire in the premise yard this Friday, for the second time. His car was set on fire on August 19th for the first time, and now they set fire for the second time to the car of this Director who, whose accurate audit report found violations, seems to have vexed the corrupted who are quite anxious about how these violations will be further addressed.
The Director of the UCHSK Audit Unit, Mr. Musa Vitija, has been exercising this role since 2007, that is, for 15 years. He knows the system very well, and this is not about mistakes, but rather about violations, which have been identified, and now we call on the competent authorities of our Republic to continue with the research and investigations to prosecute and, finally, punish the perpetrators. On this occasion, the Government of the Republic of Kosovo and I, as a Prime Minister, pledge my full support for the Director of Audit here at UCHSK, Mr. Musa Vitija, and we also commit to do everything to the best of our knowledge and ability to prevent such cases not only from happening again but for the criminals, who set fire to the car in the hospital yard, to be sent to prison. Criminals must go to prison.
You cannot set fire to the car of the Director of Audit in the hospital yard. Having said that, from the conversation we had, allow me to express our indignation against two companies, which should also be investigated for not being at the level of duty. I am talking about the physical security company “Security Code” and the other company called “Quantic”, which is responsible for monitoring the premises by security cameras in the yard and premises here at UCCK and UCHS in general.
So, there are two companies which must be investigated and held accountable for not being at the level of duty. It does not make any sense to say that 20 cameras were not working on Friday when the car of Director Musa Vitija was set on fire. It is absurd! How come 20 cameras were out of function at the decisive moment? What is the purpose of cameras? For us to observe the cameras? No! The purpose of the cameras is to observe the hospital yard, especially considering that this is a recurring criminal offence which was first committed on August 19th, and again last Friday. Therefore, we believe it is time the state authorities act quickly, as the ones who identify violations within the institutions must be protected, not attacked.
I would like to thank Mr. Musa Vitija once again for his courage. This person went back to work even after his car was set on fire twice, here, in the hospital yard. He went back to work nevertheless. They set fire to his car on August 19th, they set fire to his car last Friday. Here he is today, at work, at 7 am.
Therefore, the country needs people like Musa Vitija. These are the officials serving the citizens and protecting the republic. I am also thankful to Doctor Pranvera Zejnullahu-Raçi, who is here with the Director in this extremely important battle for our public service, as well as the two deputy ministers and the Chair of the UCHS Board. Discipline has increased, and we will keep up the good work, which means we will protect the good employees from the corrupted and the criminals, who are vexed when things go well in our public sector and in our government work.
Once again, the company that provides physical security or – better said – that should have provided physical security with the contracts we have inherited from the past, is “Security Code”, whereas the company that should have provided camera surveillance which are directed towards the yards, is called “Quantic”. So, “Quantic” and “Security Code” were not at the required level of responsibility on August 19th nor on October 7th. August 19th is the day when the car was burned for the first time, and October 7th is the second time when the car of the Director of Audit at UCHS was burned. On the other hand, UCHSK supplies 70 percent of the medications from the essential list, and 90 percent of the expendable medical supplies, and we will increase order and discipline but also services in order to achieve 100 percent coverage.
Therefore, we are committed to work effectively together. The Government of the Republic of Kosovo will do anything, but it does not make sense for the prosecution authorities not to act promptly to prevent these cases from ever happening again and for those criminals who set fire to the car of the same person twice in two months to end up behind bars. One cannot be free and set fire to someone’s car twice in the hospital yard. Even more so when the victim is a state official, the Director of the UCHSK Audit Unit, whose reports have identified violations, so someone must have felt really afraid. These are coward actions of someone who is afraid, who, in the hospital yard, against the patients, against the Republic, against law and order, and against good governance, attempts to persist and protect corruption. Corruption should never be protected. Corruption should be fought. Crime as well. Whereas officials like Musa Vitija are those who must be protected against everyone, including by prosecuting those perpetrators.
Last modified: October 11, 2022