Failure to comply with protocols at UCCK increases infections

Two patients have lost their lives in less than a month at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo (UCCK), and family members claim that the cause was not just the disease, but the infections they contracted precisely where they sought treatment.

In one of the cases, the cancer patient was in stable condition until the moment when, according to family members, he was infected with a bacteria inside the UCCK.

"This then caused sepsis," a relative who wishes to remain anonymous briefly tells Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Despite efforts, REL was unable to obtain confirmation from doctors because, according to them, hospital-acquired infections as a cause are difficult to accurately document.

These, however, are not isolated cases. In the UCCK premises, the invisible risk of hospital-acquired infections constantly threatens patients.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has obtained worrying data from two clinics: in the Intensive Care Center, hospital-acquired infections have affected over 70% of patients during several months of this year, while in Neonatology, where the most fragile babies are treated, the percentage has exceeded 20.

The Director of the Clinic of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Gazmend Spahiu, openly admits the problem: "The Intensive Care Unit has the highest percentage of infections, due to the serious condition of the patients admitted there."

He says that several new technical measures have been taken to reduce respiratory tract infections, such as: closed suction devices, subglottic suction tubes, and more rigorous hygiene, but he admits that the lack of nurses weakens every effort.

A similar opinion is shared by the director of the Thoracic Clinic, Nazmi Kolgeci.

"We, as staff, are careful and take preventive measures against infections. They are not carried by the patients, but by their companions," he tells Radio Free Europe.

The presence of companions has become part of the culture of UCCK, as the chronic shortage of medical staff, especially nurses, has made it impossible for many basic services to be provided by the hospital itself.

For this reason, family members often do the jobs that nurses should do – whether it's taking care of the patient's hygiene, feeding them, or transporting tests.

As a result, the hospital's rooms and corridors are filled with family members who enter and exit without hygienic control, turning the institution into a space unprotected from infections.

The Thoracic Clinic is among the few at UCCK that has a special isolation room.

On the door of room number 234 is written: "Caution! Septic Room - Infection". Inside, on the morning of December 4, there were three seriously ill patients, separated from the others, with doctors and nurses entering only with protective equipment.

In the next room that day, G. Paçarizi was also there. Hospitalized for a lung disease, he told REL that he was also infected with a virus that doctors have not yet identified.

In his room, family members moved freely - without gloves, without masks, and without any control.

But these alleged violations of protocol were not committed by them alone.

REL also observed doctors and nurses leaving the clinics in hospital uniforms, walking through the courtyard, going to the kitchen a few meters away, and then returning to the treatment areas, without changing.

Officials from the Directorate of Clinical and University Hospital Services of Kosovo – the institution that oversees UCCK – briefly admitted that “the dress code is not respected.”

And, the Infection Control Team within UCCK said that they have identified violations in almost all clinics: long nails, jewelry, inappropriate uniforms - these elements are prohibited by any infection control standard.

Members of this team, who spoke to Radio Free Europe on condition of anonymity, said that the biggest offenders "are the head nurses and doctors."

REL requested the team's report and a response from its head, Hatixhe Gashi, for several days. Although she said she had sent them to the QKUK directorate, the latter responded only with a generalized statement:

"The team conducts daily inspection and monitoring in all UCCK clinics. The most common infections are those of the respiratory tract, such as ventilator-associated pneumonia."

"After each research that is carried out, in order to verify the hygienic situation, samples are taken and based on the results, appropriate measures are taken in cooperation with the relevant clinics and other institutions," the response states - without any further details.

Previous reports from this team have identified up to 600 cases of hospital-acquired infections within a year, and they have been, for the most part, increasing.

According to SHSKUK, the number of patients hospitalized in UCCK clinics and general hospitals exceeded 162 thousand in 2024.

The ongoing recommendations of the Infection Control Team include: increasing the level of hygiene, central air conditioning in operating rooms, and waste management according to standards.

The Sanitary Inspectorate of the Ministry of Health confirms to Radio Free Europe that it is conducting several checks related to hospital infections - some cases are even being re-inspected.

"We are in the inspection phase and once we complete this work, we will prepare a report," says the head of the department, Ibrahim Tërshnjaku.

Naser Gjonbalaj, from the Kosovo Chamber of Physicians, defines the situation with one sentence: "The very fact that in 2025 we are still talking about hospital-acquired infections is worrying."

He adds that the lack of staff, the lack of quality services, and the presence of attendants at every step of the hospital are among the main causes of the spread of infections, which can even lead to sepsis.

Despite this, the UCCK does not keep accurate statistics on the number of deaths related to this complication.

According to the World Health Organization, infections acquired during healthcare treatment are among the most common problems that occur within hospitals, almost everywhere in the world.

On average, 1 in 10 patients is affected by these infections.

In low- and middle-income countries, as well as among the most at-risk patients – especially those in intensive care – this percentage is even higher, according to the WHO.

But, within the UCCK in Pristina, such infections are just one of many problems.

REL has repeatedly documented challenges within the institution: a shortage of doctors and nurses in many clinics; waiting lists that last for years; family members forced to take on the role of nurses; and basic conditions that are lacking – from sheets to soap. /REL