A new draft national Action Plan on Continuing Medical Education (CME) in Medical Emergencies at the Primary Health Care Level has been developed and refined with input from key institutional stakeholders, marking an important step in strengthening Albania’s emergency care workforce.  

Keeping doctors and nurses ready for emergencies is one of the quietest but most important investments a health system can make. Behind every emergency call is a person whose outcome may depend on the doctor or nurse who reaches them first and on whether that professional has had the chance to keep their skills current. Continuing Medical Education is what makes that possible: it ensures Albania’s frontline health workforce stays prepared, confident, and ready when emergencies strike.  

The Action Plan focuses on maintaining and improving the skills and emergency preparedness of doctors and nurses working at the primary healthcare (PHC) level, where timely and effective response is decisive for patient outcomes. Built around evidence-based clinical priorities, the plan sets out structured pathways for ongoing training, accreditation, and professional development, ensuring that frontline health professionals can keep their emergency care competencies current throughout their careers. 

The Action Plan has been shaped through a ministerial Working Group convened by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, bringing together the Health Care Service Operator, the Agency for Quality Assurance in Health and Social Care, the National Medical Emergency Center, the National Health Insurance Fund , and the Professional Orders of doctors, nurses, and psychologists , a breadth of participation that reflects the importance of CME as a cross-cutting priority for Albania’s health system.  

The next step is costing the plan. A health services budgeting expert is now consulting with stakeholders to translate the Action Plan into clear, realistic figures, the foundation for sustained investment from the government that is committed to stronger emergency care in Albania.  

The Action Plan complements other SOLIDAR initiatives advancing the workforce dimension of emergency care reform, from the certified Basic Life Support and First Aid (BLS–FA) and advanced ILS / ITLS training programmes, to the upcoming national online learning platform for emergency medical education. Together, these components are designed to build a coherent system of continuing professional development for doctors and nurses at PHC level.  

Through this process, work continues to support the development of a better-prepared health workforce and a more resilient emergency care system at the primary healthcare level, contributing to the wider goal of ensuring that people in Albania, including the most vulnerable, have access to high-quality emergency care when they need it most. 

This work is supported by the SOLIDAR Project “Together in Health Emergencies”, a project by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by GFA Consulting Group GmbH, which works in support to Albanian institutions to strengthen the country’s health emergency system.