Skopje, 10 May 2026 (MIA) - Nurses and midwives are the backbone of the healthcare system. Without them, it is impossible to imagine any process, from prevention, through diagnosis, to rehabilitation and support for patients and their families, Health Minister Azir Aliu said at an event marking Nurses Week (May 5-12) in Skopje on Sunday. 

The event was hosted by the Association of Nurses, Technicians and Midwives of the Republic of Macedonia.

“The Ministry is committed to strengthening staff in public health facilities and in just two months we made a firm step forward by hiring over 1.250 people in the public health sector, a great deal of them nurses. With this, we are sending a message that the country values your work, your effort, and your commitment. In terms of financial stimulation, last month we signed the Collective Agreement with the Union of Employees of the Clinical Center and the Independent Union for Health, Pharmacy, and Social Protection, providing for a seven percent salary increase with the March paycheck. After that, we have established the pace for further salary increases in the coming years,” Minister Aliu said.

The Minister stressed the Health Ministry remains committed to upgrading health infrastructure, boosting the status of nurses and advancing their education and professional development.

“Together we are building a future in which every nurse and midwife will be supported and respected and we are jointly working towards a health system that will be in line with European standards,” Aliu said.

Photo: MIA