Health in Kosovo

Having been bothered by a few persistent and annoying symptoms in the past several weeks, I have been spending rather more time that I expected exploring the medical world of Kosovo (accompanied by my very nice coworker/translator Eremire). This is my first time going to a doctor in a foreign country despite nearly two years spent abroad in my lifetime. I didn’t really get sick in Armenia and I avoided doctors in Moldova like the plague--I heard too many horror stories. I have survived in the past by studying reputable internet sites (the Mayo Clinic has a good one), asking medical students for advice, and self-medicating at pharmacies (which don’t require prescriptions most of the time in this part of the world).

Before launching into this, I’d also like to note that the U.S. Embassy won’t let you within 50 feet of their doctor unless you are a staff member there, so that is not an option for me or most other Americans abroad. Don’t expect any help from the Embassy beyond a list of English-speaking doctors.

I’ve been pretty impressed by the professionalism of the medical staff that I have encountered thus far. I’ve been going to private clinics (not sure if public ones even exist) in various parts of Prishtina. People have been remarkably kind and helpful, which has put me at ease. When I was getting blood drawn for a test, they kept asking me if I was okay, which I appreciated since I hate getting blood drawn! The clinics I’ve been to have all used new, clean instruments, and I certainly haven’t been anywhere dirty.

There were a few things that would be surprising to someone used to the American medical system. First of all, you just show up during receiving hours and wait for someone to see you. No appointments here. The offices are a bit more stark, although not lacking in equipment. The guy drawing my blood didn’t wear gloves. When I went to a dermatologist I had to doff my shirt in order to show the doctor these little red spots I had been getting on my back. Not so strange, except for I was in the front room of her office near a window to the street. Modesty: the first casualty in my quest for health.

I’ve only been going to places that I’ve heard about through personal recommendations. One of the places I went to was a big clinic that has Western-trained and English-speaking specialists. I had an exam and met with a specialist for a grand total of 20 euro. Hmm, another big difference from the U.S. health system. Unfortunately, it’s hard to know if you can trust the diagnoses of the doctors or not, but at least the internet is good to have as a back-up resource.

Overall, this has been pretty non-traumatizing, thanks in part to Eremire’s translation skills. I still haven’t gotten my problems resolved yet, but so far I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Kosovo.