Open Call for Investigative Stories on Healthcare (Albania)

This call is organized by BIRN Albania as part of the project “Promoting Transparency through Investigative Journalism” funded by the National Endowment for Democracy.

Through this competition, three (3) journalists or groups of investigative journalists will be selected to produce investigative articles in the field of health, in collaboration with civil society.

Topics

• Priority in the selection will be given to proposals that include one of the following topics, suggested as priorities during a roundtable organized among journalists and representatives of civil society:
  • Insufficient financing and budgeting for hospitals and health services.
  • Trading of cytostatic drugs outside the control of the hospital regime.
  • Lack of law enforcement and protocols for the treatment of patients with blood diseases.
  • Non-implementation of the hospital independence process and the lack of functioning of the relevant boards.
  • Financial impacts and political connections that affect the list of reimbursable drugs.
  • Restrictions and penalties for family doctors by FSDKSH.
  • Performance evaluation of family doctors.
  • Inefficient planning and management of human resources in the health system.
  • Lack of doctors, false payments and benefits, as well as additional costs for the system.
  • Difficulties in the practical implementation of free healthcare for children.
  • Problems related to children with HIV/AIDS and infections during hospital treatments.
  • Improving forensic services and reporting violence against children.
  • Combating disinformation on vaccines and its negative impact on public health.

Benefits

• Financial Support: Receive grants to cover your expenses during your investigations.
• Mentorship: Work closely with experienced editors who will guide and mentor you, helping you craft compelling stories that adhere to BIRN’s high standards.
• Impactful Journalism: Contribute to the fight against corruption and impunity, as part of the project “Promoting Accountability and Transparency through Investigative Reporting”, supported by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
• Networking Opportunities: Build connections with journalists, experts, and civil society activists working toward greater transparency and accountability.

Funding Information

• Selected applicants, who will receive a stipend of 1,200 USD (minus personal income tax), will have a three-month period to complete their investigation and prepare the article for publication.

Eligibility Criteria

• All journalists in Albania, employed by other media outlets or in a freelance profession, have the right to apply.

Application Requirements

• The winning candidates are expected to commit to and fulfill all obligations related to the investigation, such as: frequent meetings with the editor, publication of the text on the BIRN Albania website, as well as compliance with the standards of investigative journalism and professional ethics.
• Candidates must formulate a detailed proposal for the competition. Proposals must aim to expose concrete cases of lack of law enforcement, lack of access to services and transparency of institutions or corruption in the field of health.
• Applicants may submit more than one application, but only one proposal per candidate will be selected.

For more information, visit BIRN.