Shortage of essential-list drugs affects 177 dialysis patients

Kosovo dialysis patients are facing an almost three-month shortage of Sevelamer 800 mg tablets, part of the Essential Drug List, as Koha.net reports. This is an indispensable therapy for 177 patients, who for months have been securing it with difficulty or being forced to face interruptions of treatment.

The Kosovo Hospital and University Clinical Service (SHSKUK) has confirmed that since June 2026 there has been no regular supply of this drug. According to Koha.net, the medicine has also been missing from private pharmacies, leaving patients with no alternative inside the country.

Sevelamer is used to control phosphorus in the blood of patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis. Doctors warn that interrupting the therapy could worsen patients’ health condition and increase the risk of serious complications.

Patients and their families have asked health institutions for an urgent solution, while repeated shortages of essential drugs have raised concerns about supply management in Kosovo’s health system.