St. Erasmus hospital in Ohrid nears completion of long-delayed wing
Final construction phase of the St. Erasmus hospital wing is under way with financing closed, but shortages of nurses and instrument technicians could limit the benefit.
The new wing of the Special Hospital for Orthopedics and Traumatology "St. Erasmus" in Ohrid — a project whose construction was practically frozen since 2017 — has entered a final phase with authorities promising completion by the end of the year.
Officials say the financial package worth more than €2 million has been finalised: funds come from the Health Fund, the hospital's own budget and donations, and a new supplier has been chosen to resume works.
More operating rooms, but staffing questions remain
On paper the expansion is ambitious: the hospital is expected to increase its operating capacity from the current not-quite-two operating rooms to a total of four modern theatres. Management says that will materially improve conditions for both patients and surgical teams.
At the same time, experts and members of the public warn that the physical upgrade must be matched by appropriate staffing. The greatest shortfall is among nurses and instrument technicians, a gap felt particularly acutely during the tourist season when the number of interventions and traffic accident victims rises.
The problem is worsened by the retirement of experienced personnel. Hospital leadership and the Ministry of Health have announced plans for long-term measures and replacement hiring, but details and timing remain open questions.
For decades the Special Hospital "St. Erasmus" has treated patients from Ohrid and Struga for specialised orthopaedic, trauma and neurosurgical care, and also receives patients from across the country and neighbouring Albania. Tens of thousands of patients pass annually through its outpatient clinics and operating rooms, making this expansion a significant issue for the wider health system.
Photo: press material from the event
