ASNR participates in a WHO assessment mission in Albania

ASNR participated in a WHO Joint External Evaluation (JEE) mission held from 1 to 5 December 2025 in Tirana (Albania). 

JEE missions assess 19 multisectoral technical areas through an independent review conducted by an international team of experts, with the objective of determining a country’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to public health risks in accordance with the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005). During this mission, the technical area related to radiological and nuclear emergencies preparedness and response was led by Alexandre de Ruvo from the International Directorate of ASNR.

This evaluation enabled ASNR to engage in substantive discussions with the Albanian authority responsible for the regulation of ionising radiation (Radiation Protection Office - RPO), as well as its technical support organisation (Institute of Applied Nuclear Physics - IFBZ), the "Mother Theresa" University Hospital Centre, and several other stakeholders involved in radiological emergency response. Field visits to these institutions allowed the JEE mission to assess their facilities and the equipment deployed by their respective operators.

The mission provided an opportunity to identify the country’s strengths and areas for improvement against the detailed technical benchmarks of the JEE Tool. Priority recommendations were formally presented to the Deputy Minister of Health (Eugena Tomini), the Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Fatmir Guri), and other senior officials of the Ministry of Health. A comprehensive report compiling the findings of the mission will be prepared subsequently.

ASNR is linked to the WHO through a collaboration agreement under which it is designated as a “Collaborating Centre” in the field of radiation protection. This partnership enables the WHO to draw upon ASNR’s recognised expertise in radiation protection. These missions enhance ASNR’s international visibility and strengthen its capabilities in radiological and nuclear emergency preparedness and response, while also fostering closer ties with foreign nuclear regulatory authorities and their Technical Support Organisations (TSOs).