Together for Life held a roundtable discussion entitled “The Prevalence of Informal Payments in Public Health Centers of the Municipality of Tirana”, a consultative forum aimed at addressing this harmful practice, which undermines the delivery of quality, timely, and equitable healthcare services for all citizens.

The discussions focused on the need for structured institutional interventions, the strengthening of oversight and accountability mechanisms, and the promotion of a culture of integrity and transparency in the provision of healthcare by medical personnel.

•  According to data collected from a survey of 400 citizens:
   55% reported having never made informal payments,
   41% admitted to having done so at least once,
  while 4% reported always engaging in such practices.

Participants shared their experiences in accessing services in public health centers. The debates emphasized the importance of inter-institutional coordination, awareness-raising campaigns targeting both citizens and healthcare professionals, and the review and updating of internal regulations and institutional transparency programs within public institutions.

 The event also featured the active participation of Mr. Zef Preçi, Executive Director of the Albanian Center for Economic Research (ACER), who contributed to the discussions in his capacity as a partner of the SELDI Network. Mr. Preçi highlighted the role of civil society coalitions in combating informal payments and advancing integrity in the health sector, underlining the value of regional cooperation and evidence-based advocacy in driving systemic change.

This roundtable was organized in the framework of the project “Out of Sight: Informal Payments in Accessing Medical Services in Albania”, supported by the European Union, through a sub-grant awarded by SELDI. The content of the discussions is the sole responsibility of the participants and Together for Life, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.