The detailed drug consumption report for March 2026 based on the reimbursement list from the Health Insurance Fund shows that the Albanian population is suffering from a high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and gastritis.
The list shows that Cardiovascular diseases remain the category with the highest reimbursement volume. During March, tens of thousands of packages were reimbursed for blood pressure and heart rate control alone.
For example, calcium channel blockers such as Amlodipine and Lercanidipine record high consumption figures, with only a few of the main brands reaching over 10,000 packages each. This shows that hypertension is the disease with the widest geographical and age distribution in the country. Also, aspirin protect is consumed on a mass scale.
Diabetes follows as the second category in terms of the amount of drugs distributed. Metformin, as the basic treatment for Type 2 diabetes, is setting record figures. According to data from March, different variants of Metformin (such as Siofor or Glucophage) have been reimbursed in quantities exceeding 20,000 packages in total.
Meanwhile, in insulins, a dominance of rapid-acting insulins such as Novorapid (over 4,000 units) and basal insulins such as Lantus or Tresiba is observed, which indicates a high number of patients who depend on injection therapy.
Digestive system diseases occupy an important place on the consumption map. Anti-ulcer and stomach-protecting drugs, such as Omeprazole, appear with a total reimbursement amount of over 18,000 packages (divided between the brands Ulcozol, Omeprazid, etc.). This indicates a high incidence of gastric problems in the population.
Eye Health (Glaucoma) and Nervous System round out the list of categories with high consumption. For the treatment of Glaucoma, the product Travatan accounts for around 4,930 packages, while Xalatan accounts for around 1,394, indicating a high focus on eye health in the elderly.
In terms of the nervous system, drugs such as Levetiracetam for epilepsy and Donepezil for Alzheimer's mark steady consumption, reflecting the ongoing needs of patients with degenerative diseases.
This high volume of reimbursed medicines shows that the state budget is directing the majority of funds towards the management of chronic non-communicable diseases, which will dominate the health profile of the Albanian population in 2026./Monitor.al
