Vendor’s death highlights barriers to healthcare in North Macedonia

By Aneta Risteska

Memet Kamber, who sold North Macedonian street paper Lice v Lice, died last month. He was admitted to hospital with hyperglycemia likely caused by lifelong diabetes. He grew up without a permanent residence and because he had no state-recognised ID card, he was essentially deemed stateless in his own country, and had been unable to access medical care.

Memet Kamber died at the age of 20 the Clinic for Anesthesia, Resuscitation and Intensive Care (KARIL) in Skopje last month. It was his first hospital admission.

His health deteriorated long before he was admitted, but he was unable to see a doctor and did not have a health record that would allow regular check-ups. His lack of proper state-certified documentation, an ID card, barred him from accessing essential services.

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Vendor’s death highlights barriers to healthcare in North Macedonia

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