Rotary York Ainsty is developing a project to bring medical aid to a remote region in Albania - in partnership with two other European Rotary Clubs

UPDATED MAY 2024 / SG

Rotary York Ainsty is developing a project to support an Albanian community with medical aid in partnership with two other Rotary clubs, both based in other countries.  This project is at an early stage, but is already underway and visits from the different Rotary Clubs to Albania to follow the progress of the scheme are planned for later in 2024.

The clubs, working together, aim to help and support people in this deprived and poverty-stricken area of Albania.

Rotary York Ainsty Rotarians are aligning with the Rotary Club of Münster St Mauritz to help fund and organise a healthcare support programme for mountainous and isolated rural  communities in 22 villages, two hours north of Tirana, but centred on the village of Fushë Arrëz, in Albania.

A real need has been identified in these communities by Capuchin monks who are already working in the area. 

Local people isolated by the local terrain, lack of metalled roads and transport will often walk to access basic health provisions.

Any form of health care is very poor and often sick people are looked after by their own families without additional support. The project aims to address the issues of disease prevention and treatment.

The clubs are working together to deliver a three-year initiative which will see the provision of a four-wheeled vehicle to access local villages, provision of basic medical equipment and a nurse. 

Also, a semi automatic defibrillator, a mobile ECG unit and a mobile ultrasound device for use in the area will be provided. A laptop computer to enable vital data to be recorded is also included in the project.

Rotary York Ainsty and the Rotary Club of Münster St Mauritz are twin clubs of long standing and work together under the Rotary umbrella to ease suffering  of those that need it most.

To increase the sustainability of the project, a training programme for both the nursing staff and some of the local population is being developed and initiated.

Images are © and were provided by the Rotary Club of Münster St Mauritz.

 SpecSort involvement via York

SpecSort (the delivery of pre-owned spectacles) is a flagship programme of Rotary York Ainsty. It has been suggested that the recycled spectacles could also be supplied and clinics set up to dispense the correct prescription to local people.

Links have already been established with the  localised Capuchin monks, the local GP doctors, as well as the mayor and some villagers. RC Tirana members will be involved as it is they who will oversee the purchasing of much of the equipment.

The Albanian project started in 2022 and will run for three years in the initial stage. SpecSort's founder and mainstay, Ruth Perrot - from Copmanthorpe, York - recently visited Albania to deliver a large batch of pre-processed glasses and to estimate what would be required going forward.

For further information on the area visit the Wikipedia site here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fushë-Arrëz