Urgently needed hemodialysis equipment for Nephrology, still out of order

Although the replacement of old hemodialysis equipment at the Nephrology Clinic was considered an emergency, most of the new equipment has not been put into operation. Of the 45 purchased devices, according to KHOHA sources, only three of them have been installed, and this outside the UCCK. The Nephrology Clinic says that some have been installed and others will be installed this week, but photos from the rooms where these services are performed show the opposite.

Of the 45 hemodialysis machines purchased by UCCK, only three are in operation and those are in a medical center in Pristina.

The tender opened in February 2025, in addition to equipment, also includes 45 beds for the Nephrology Clinic.

In the tender dossier, this clinic presented the request as urgent, with the justification that the old equipment needed to be replaced as soon as possible, but now that the equipment has been delivered, it has not been functionalized.

"Referring to the request of the Nephrology Clinic Directorate for the purchase of dialysis machines. The Medical Equipment Sector, on 30.1.2025, made the request and submitted it to the Procurement Office for a framework contract for the purchase of 45 pieces of dialysis machines and chairs, requesting from the Procurement Office that, if possible, this request be treated with urgency and priority, so that the purchase and replacement of dialysis machines with new ones can be made as soon as possible," the tender dossier states.

Of the 45 devices purchased, 10 were sent to the QMF in Kodër i Trimave, where hemodialysis services are also offered, but only three have been installed there. KOHA was not allowed to take pictures from inside the QMF.

In a response from the Nephrology Directorate, the out-of-function rooms at UCCK are mentioned as a justification for sending the equipment to the QMF, where the Directorate says that some have nevertheless been installed.

"Some of the devices have been installed in 'Kodër të Trimave', since three rooms are out of function in HDI, due to the construction of the new facility. For this reason, I have added another shift, the schedule in HD II in Kodër të Trimave now works from two shifts to three shifts. For this reason, some of the new devices, after being completed with filters, have entered service in HD II. While the rest of the devices have been installed in HD I (QKUK), I always want to mention it after the preliminary testing of these devices," the response from this Director states.

According to the response from the Nephrology Clinic, the other devices are expected to be put into operation by the end of the week, after preliminary testing.

But in the photos provided by KOHA, no new equipment is seen in the rooms where hemodialysis services are provided. The old equipment from the company "Fresenius Medical Care", manufactured between 2004 and 2014, continues to be in operation.

Meanwhile, the new equipment installed at the Medical Center in "Kodër të Trimave" is from the "B. Braun" company.

KOHA has repeatedly insisted on the UCCK to provide concrete information on the number of devices installed and where they are located, since the rooms where these services are provided have old devices. However, such data has not been provided. However, more than one source within UCCK has confirmed that the new devices are expected to be put into operation. 

Meanwhile, other economic operators who participated in the tender have also revealed an issue regarding the devices. They have said that, according to the file, they should have been manufactured in 2025, the year the tender was opened. Other sources within UCCK have said that the devices delivered are from 2023.

KOHA has requested clarification from UCCK regarding the year of production of these devices, as well as their non-installation, which is contrary to the urgency shown in the tender. But since January 28, it has not received a response. There has been no response from the winning company "Medihealth", which is also responsible for the installation.

The tender, worth 843,750 euros, was investigated last year by the Basic Prosecution Office on suspicion of falsification of documents in this process.

"Medihealth" was announced the winner in August, but after complaints from other economic operators to the PRB, the process remained blocked until December 2025.