Albania’s socio-economic landscape in 2024 presents a mixed picture of progress, persistent risks, and crucial public health indicators. According to the latest INSTAT statistics, workplace safety concerns continue to rise, while the health sector shows both improvements and declines across different service categories. From work accidents to hospital admissions, from child vaccination coverage to maternal care, the data offers a clear snapshot of national well-being and policy challenges.
Workplace Accidents: A Growing Concern
Workplace safety remains one of the most critical issues for Albania’s labor market. In 2024, INSTAT recorded 224 inspections triggered by workplace accidents, marking a 2.8% increase compared to 2023. This upward trend highlights the continued vulnerabilities in work environments, particularly in high-risk sectors such as construction and manufacturing.
The number of workers injured on the job reached 177 cases, representing a 5.4% increase from the previous year. Notably, 18.6% of all injured workers were women, indicating that occupational risks affect both genders across various industries.
Even more alarming is the rise in fatal workplace accidents. In 2024, Albania recorded 33 fatal cases, which is three more deaths than in 2023. Despite women representing a smaller share of the workforce in high-risk fields, 6.1% of fatal cases involved women, raising deeper questions about workplace protections, training standards, and safety monitoring.
These numbers underscore the urgent need for stronger enforcement of occupational safety laws, investment in proper protective equipment, and more rigorous employer accountability.
Primary Healthcare Visits: A Declining Trend
When examining healthcare utilization, Albania saw a notable decline in primary care visits. In 2024, total visits reached 8,951,864, reflecting a 3.1% decrease compared to the previous year. The distribution of these visits reveals the structure of Albania’s primary care system:
-
42.5% took place in health centers
-
23.9% in ambulatory clinics
-
33.6% in polyclinics
A significant demographic fact emerges from these numbers: 35.4% of all visits in health centers and ambulances were made by individuals over 60. This highlights the increasing health demands of the aging population, a trend consistent with Albania’s demographic shift and declining birth rates.
Women’s Health: Fewer Visits but Higher First-Time Obstetrical Checkups
Maternal and gynecological services also experienced changes in 2024. The total number of women’s consultations reached 184,801, registering a 9.2% decline from the previous year. Of these:
-
78.1% were obstetrical visits
-
21.9% were gynecological visits
Interestingly, 50.4% of obstetrical visits were carried out with specialist doctors, showing relatively strong support in maternal care. Even though total visits decreased, first-time obstetrical consultations increased by 4.6%, representing 15.9% of all obstetrical visits. This could reflect improved awareness of prenatal care or shifts in healthcare-seeking behavior among pregnant women.
Child Health: Fewer Visits but High Specialist Involvement
Albania’s child healthcare system continued to serve a large number of families. In 2024:
-
267,048 children were registered in child consultation units
-
731,277 visits were conducted, averaging 2.7 visits per child per year
Compared to 2023, visits decreased slightly by 1.0%, but specialists were involved in 52.9% of all consultations. The remaining visits were handled by midwives and nurses, reinforcing the crucial role of primary healthcare workers.
Regarding nutrition, the statistics show:
-
15,068 infants aged 0–1 were exclusively breastfed
-
3,459 infants were exclusively fed with artificial formula
These numbers indicate a continuing preference for breastfeeding, although global recommendations suggest even higher percentages for optimal infant health.
Vaccination Coverage: High but Not Perfect
One of the strongest health indicators of 2024 was Albania’s child vaccination coverage, which remained impressively high. For children in their first year of life, coverage rates were between 97.0% and 99.0% across all vaccines in the national immunization schedule—except for the measles–rubella–mumps (MMR) vaccine, which had a lower coverage of 92.0%.
While still high, the MMR rate remains a concern, as global health organizations recommend coverage above 95% to prevent outbreaks.
Hospital Infrastructure and Performance in 2024
Albania currently operates 65 hospitals, including:
-
41 public hospitals
-
24 private hospitals
In 2024, 299,318 patients were hospitalized in public institutions, marking a 4.8% increase from 2023. Public hospitals offered a total of 8,911 beds, with a bed utilization rate of 176.7 days per year, equivalent to 48.4% occupancy of the annual calendar.
The average hospital stay was 4.7 days, while bed turnover reached 37.8 patients per bed per year. Surgical activity also grew slightly, with 65,302 surgical interventions, an increase of 0.4% from the previous year.
The year 2024 paints a complex picture of Albania’s public health and workplace conditions. While vaccination rates remain high and specialist involvement in maternal and child health is strong, the rise in workplace accidents and the decline in primary care visits suggest significant challenges ahead. Strengthening healthcare capacity, improving workplace safety standards, and addressing demographic shifts must remain national priorities.