The History and Current State of Neurosurgery in Albania

Up to one-third of the global burden of disease involves surgical conditions; however, 5 in 7 people across the world do not have access to timely, affordable surgical care. Low- and middle-income countries account for the majority of the inequities in access to timely surgical care, where the availability of specialty surgical services such as neurosurgery is limited or unavailable. Albania, situated in the Western Balkan region, was once one of the poorest countries in Europe. It is now an upper-middle-income country, and an example of the impact of democratic regime changes in Europe after 1990. This article provides the first-ever examination of the history and current state of neurosurgery in this country. We set the stage with a brief historical background on Albania, including its neurosurgical history. Then, we describe the current state of neurosurgical activity and infrastructure in Albania. Finally, we conclude with suggestions on future neurosurgical efforts for the development of neurosurgery in small countries with variable economic resources.