Fifth Meeting of IHS Project Steering Committee Focuses on Future Directions
On 13 June 2025, the Steering Committee (SC) of the Integrated Health Services (IHS) project held its fifth meeting to review progress and align on priorities as the project approaches the end of its third year of implementation. Representatives from key partner institutions gathered at the General Hospital of Gjakova, one of IHS Project’s sites, to reflect on progress being made and strategize for the rest of Phase I of the Project.
Mr. Peter Sidler, Deputy Head of International Cooperation at the Embassy of Switzerland and SC co-chair, noted that the context in which the IHS project operates has evolved since its inception. “The first phase is coming to an end, and our attention now shifts to the process ahead over the next 12 months,” he said. “We have a unique opportunity to work creatively with our partners, introduce nuance in our approach, and make the best possible use of the project’s potential.”
Dr. Naim Bardiqi, General Secretary of the Ministry of Health, also SC co-chair, shared updates on various interventions in collaboration with international financing institutions. The other members of the SC and participants of the meeting also had a good chance to exchange further and discuss the developments.
The meeting featured presentations from the project team, valuable insights from stakeholders, and a tour of General Hospital of Gjakova premises with special focus on areas that are being upgraded and functions expanded in collaboration with the IHS Project to better support the health journey of patients with non-communicable diseases and the general population.