Ramaj: 20 days of sick leave are not enough for cancer patients in Kosovo

During the presentation of the findings at a press conference, the report's author and health and social policy expert, Saranda Ramaj, said that cancer treatment is a long-term process that often lasts for months or years, while current protection in Kosovo remains insufficient for the real needs of patients.

The Columbus Institute presented on Monday the report "Paid leave policies and work accommodations for employees diagnosed with cancer in Kosovo and a comparison with 17 countries in Europe." 

It highlights serious shortcomings in the social protection and employment rights of cancer patients in the country.

During the presentation of the findings at a press conference, the report's author and health and social policy researcher, Saranda Ramaj, said that cancer treatment is a long-term process that often lasts for months or years, while current support in Kosovo remains insufficient to respond to the real needs of patients.
 

According to her, a cancer patient cannot be treated the same as in cases of common diseases, as treatments include surgeries, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and long recovery periods, while after only 20 days of compensated sick leave, patients are left without clear financial support during treatment.

The report's data shows that a cancer diagnosis has also affected the employment status of some patients.

Of the 132 respondents, 15 stated that they lost their job after being diagnosed with the disease.

According to Ramaj, a significant number of patients have also reported pressure to quit their jobs or a reduction in income.

"Out of 132 respondents, 15 stated that they had lost their jobs, while 11 of them said that they had been pressured to leave their jobs. Also, 10 stated that they had faced a salary reduction. These statistics speak volumes and, although at first glance they may seem low, if 15 out of 132 people have left or been forced to leave their jobs, this represents a fairly high percentage. Sometimes the departure does not occur through termination of the contract, but as a result of the inability to continue working during treatment," said Ramaj.

The report also highlights the financial difficulties patients face during treatment. 
About 60 percent of respondents stated that they returned to work due to financial need and not because they had fully recovered from their illness.

According to data, financial burden has been one of the main challenges for cancer patients during treatment.

"A very large proportion, over 89 percent, have had moderate or very significant financial concerns when they were diagnosed with this disease. Some of them, on a voluntary basis, have shared their experiences, saying that they have often been forced to buy medicines and travel abroad for specific tests or for services that are not offered in Kosovo and that they had to pay for themselves," said Ramaj.

This report also highlights the lack of psychological support for patients. 

It states that over 45 percent of respondents stated that they had no psychological support at all, while only 23 percent said they had received such support.
Some of them assessed that they did not seek help or were not sufficiently informed about its importance during treatment.

Also, 28.6 percent of respondents confirmed the need for sick leave to last more than one year.

The current legal framework in Kosovo does not provide for special treatment for patients with cancer or serious long-term illnesses in employment relationships.

Existing protection relies mainly on general provisions for sick leave and basic social security mechanisms, which are not necessarily adapted to the reality of long treatments and gradual recovery that cancer requires.