One Health Foundation: project in 36 summer centres in Albania and on the 'health ship' 550 tests and visits

The Italia-Albania collaboration on the theme of prevention and raising awareness of healthy lifestyles is continuing and being strengthened. This summer, a new project will be launched in 36 summer medical centres in the Balkan country where screening examinations and awareness-raising activities will be carried out. The decision was taken during the third edition of the Health Ship, the initiative promoted by the One Health Foundation. For two days on board the ship, on the Ancora-Durazzo route, more than 550 free examinations and tests were carried out for passengers.

 "We would like to thank One Health Foundation for everything it has done so far in Albania," emphasises Evis Sala, Minister of Health of the Republic of Albania. During the meeting with the Italian delegation, which left from the Marche region, we decided to start a new project in our country. The idea is to pair Italian doctors with young Albanian doctors during the summer activity of the centres in order to create a fruitful cooperation. Several prevention programmes are currently available in Albania, but they also need to be strengthened in order to reduce the impact of diseases on the hospital care system. Screening for breast and cervical cancer has been in place for years, and we have also introduced HPV vaccination for adolescent males. Adherence rates are still low and, for example, for breast cancer it is still 50%. We also need to launch more programmes for the early diagnosis of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. We are ready to start and we intend to create a lasting exchange of know-how with Italia'.

"We also need to strengthen the cooperation between Italia and Albania and the exchanges between the two countries in terms of both research and training," says Rossana Berardi, President of One Health Foundation and President-elect of Aiom/Italian Association of Medical Oncology. "We have therefore signed a memorandum of understanding between the University of Medicine of Tirana and the Marche Polytechnic University to promote exchanges between teachers and students and scientific cooperation. In this perspective, the project in the summer centres is a concrete example of international cooperation for prevention. We would like to thank all the representatives of the Albanian institutions for their trust, support, and for making the third edition of the Ship of Health possible, and also our friend and ship owner of Adria Ferries Alberto Rossi".

In this edition, the trip was in collaboration with the Fondazione Quotidiano Sanità. It started on Thursday 23 April from the port of Ancona, returning the next day from Durres. For two days, ten clinics were active and 17 medical specialists visited the passengers. A total of 23 neuro-surgical examinations, 89 cardiological examinations and tests, 45 dermatological examinations, 44 tests for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B and C were carried out. Also carried out were 35 nutritional examinations, 44 oncological consultations and breast examinations, 57 abdominal ultrasound examinations, 101 echodoppler examinations and 94 eye examinations. Also during the Adriatic crossing, a 76-year-old man (with an Italian passport) was diagnosed with an ongoing heart attack. "It was a great success and for the next editions we want to further expand the offer with more clinics," emphasises Mauro Boldrini, Vice President of One Health Foundation and Aiom Communications Director. We are already at work to activate the summer project and develop other all-round campaigns involving all segments of the population".