Prishtina, 2 November 2026
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, attended the roundtable “Beyond Pink October, Together for Health”, marking the conclusion of activities for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Prime Minister Kurti expressed his gratitude to all healthcare professionals, organisations and institutions, public and private enterprises, and everyone who, in different ways but with a common purpose, is working to deliver this message to as many women as possible. “This is a joint commitment that requires continuity, but also responsibility from all of us,” he added.
In his opening remarks at the roundtable, Prime Minister Kurti emphasised that these efforts are already yielding results, with more than half of breast cancer cases now being detected at early stages, stages I and II, when the disease is still readily treatable.
“Following the call to get screened, the opportunity and access to screening must be readily available. In this regard, mammography is now offered free of charge throughout the year. During October, a mobile mammography unit travels to cities across Kosovo, bringing the service even closer to women,” he said, noting that conditions at the Oncology Clinic have also improved for patients requiring treatment, with state-of-the-art equipment installed. Breast reconstruction is also provided free of charge, without waiting lists.
Prime Minister Kurti called for these efforts to continue beyond this campaign, so that every woman has the information, access and support she needs to protect her health and her life.
Full speech by Prime Minister Kurti:
Thank you, Honourable Minister of Health, Arben Vitia,
Honourable Ministers of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, Saranda Bogujevci, Minister of Culture and Tourism, and Mimoza Kusari Lila, Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship, Trade and Innovation,
Honourable Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Flora Macula,
Honourable Director of the Directorate of Health and Social Welfare in Prishtina, Dr Bujar Gashi,
Honourable Dr Lavdim Ymeri, from the Radiology Clinic,
Honourable Director of the Directorate of Health and Social Welfare in Fushë Kosovë, Ms Albana Gashi,
Honourable Dr Fatlinda Sadiku, from the Pathology Clinic,
Honourable Dr Ilir Kurtishi, from the Oncology Clinic,
Dr Nazmi Kolgeci, Director of the Thoracic Surgery Clinic,
Honourable Dr Violeta Zatriqi, Director of the Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Clinic,
Honourable Ms Nafije Latifi, Director of the “Jeta Vita” organisation,
Distinguished guests,
Welcome to the Office of the Prime Minister, the Government of the Republic of Kosovo. Let me begin by expressing my deepest gratitude and appreciation for the work you do, your unwavering commitment and your contribution.
Beyond the awareness-raising message and beyond Pink October, our shared aim is to foster a culture of continuous care for public health and everyone’s health, by encouraging one another not to postpone medical check-ups.
Allow me to express my particular gratitude to all healthcare professionals, including those who are not in this room, and whose numbers are many, as well as medical staff, organisations and institutions, public and private enterprises, and everyone who, in different ways but with a common purpose, is working to deliver this message to as many women as possible. This is a joint commitment that requires continuity, but also responsibility from all of us.
Our task is to shorten the distance between concern and screening, between diagnosis and treatment, and between a woman seeking help and the institution responding to her needs.
This work begins with raising awareness, through campaigns organised by the Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Public Health, as well as through the work of organisations and the contributions of public and private enterprises. Thank you all for taking the call to get screened to as many women as possible.
These efforts are already yielding results. Today, more than half of breast cancer cases are detected at early stages, stages I and II, when the disease is still readily treatable.
Following the call to get screened, the opportunity and access to screening must be readily available. In this regard, mammography is now offered free of charge throughout the year. During October, a mobile mammography unit travels to cities across Kosovo, bringing the service even closer to women.
For patients who require treatment, conditions at the Oncology Clinic have improved, and state-of-the-art equipment has been installed. Breast reconstruction is also provided free of charge and without waiting lists.
Thank you to healthcare professionals and organisations, and special thanks to Ms Nafije Latifi for her 20-year contribution to ensuring that patients’ voices are heard as widely as possible.
Let us continue these efforts beyond this campaign, so that every woman has the information, access and support she needs to protect her health and her life.
Thank you!
