Albania records over 50,000 trauma cases per year, with the majority resulting from road accidents and workplace incidents. This figure was highlighted by Agron Dogjani, a surgeon at the University Hospital of Trauma (Albania), during a conference on lifestyle and risk reduction.
He emphasized that trauma cases peak during the summer months, with the most affected being individuals in active age groups. However, he noted that this trend has recently shifted.
“Up to the age of 45 is the group with the highest mortality because it is the active population, and trauma can take them out of life. This pattern has slightly changed. If we previously had 200 trauma cases per day, with 60% belonging to this age group, now it has dropped to 40%, and the number of patients over 65 has increased. They often lack stability while walking and suffer fractures of the pelvis or hip,” said Dogjani.
Providing assistance during accidents is often accompanied by further harm due to lack of knowledge.
“We receive patients with improperly applied medical devices. Quite often, patients arrive with respiratory injuries, damage to the oral cavity, torn lips or tongue, and broken teeth because basic procedures are not performed correctly,” he added.
Mismanagement at the initial stage of trauma is largely due to a lack of knowledge among the general population, and sometimes even among medical staff.
“These are not necessarily disabling injuries, but they delay treatment. Usually, they are not caused by medical personnel, but by untrained individuals who lack the necessary knowledge. In some cases, even medical staff may make mistakes when placing patients on protective stretchers,” the surgeon noted.
Dogjani also raised concerns that Albania lacks a trauma registry and a system that could help with prevention, timely response, and more effective patient treatment.
Trauma was just one of the topics presented by healthcare experts at the conference, which focused on reducing health risks and improving prevention, particularly among young people.
The post 50,000 Trauma Cases Annually, Doctor Calls for Education to Reduce Harm appeared first on Euronews Albania.
