North Macedonia lacks anesthesiologists
The healthcare system in North Macedonia is facing a severe shortage of anesthesiologists. The country lacks about 100 anesthesiologists, with the greatest shortage in six cities across the country. The Ministry of Health says that 2025 specializations for anesthesiologists have been approved for 41, while 85 doctors are currently completing specializations in this field, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.
"Regarding the number of anesthesiology specialists missing in public health institutions, that number is around 100. There is a shortage of anesthesiologists in Kumanovo, Kavadarci, Dibër, Kicevo, Gevgelija and Veles. Meanwhile, according to the data available to the secondary and tertiary healthcare sector, there is a greater shortage of anesthesiologists in Maxillofacial Surgery," the Ministry of Health says.
The Head of the Department of Anesthesiology at the Clinic of Anesthesia, Intensive Care and Resuscitation, Andrijan Kartallov, told Alsat that the need for anesthesiologists is great.
"The need for anesthesiologists is increasing, as is the coverage of intensive care, operating rooms and outpatient procedures. Specifically, the number of intensive care units in the country is increasing and therefore the need for anesthesiologists is great. Some time ago, I was the president of the Association of Anesthesiologists and their number in the country 7-8 years ago was somewhere around 15-20 anesthesiologists, while now the number is somewhere between 25 and 30 anesthesiologists," said Andrijan Kartallov, Head of the Department of Anesthesiology,
Kartalov says that at the moment the Clinic needs to increase the number of beds in the intensive care unit and to open an intensive care unit for internists, since the number of patients is very high. The lack of anesthesiologists forces the anesthesiologists of the Anesthesia Clinic to go from one clinic to another to serve patients. The anesthesiologists of this clinic, in addition to covering other clinics in Skopje, also cover clinics in many other cities.
