Dr. Kristo Papa: an internationally renowned cardiologist who loves medicine and believes in Edi Rama’s vision for Albania. Dr. Kristo Papa, who holds the title of « KNIGHT OF THE ORDER OF THE FLAG » from the Institution of the President of the Republic of Albania, is a highly distinguished personality in the field of medicine. He is an internationally renowned cardiologist surgeon. So for all these activities and successes of Dr. Kristo Papa, who has been living and acting for years in London, Great Britain, the Swiss newspaper in Albanian Le Canton27.ch had a interwiev with him.
He is a distinguished cardiologist in Italy, Great Britain and in many countries around the world for his professionalism and contribution to the field of medicine
But despite his professional achievements, Dr. Papa is a true patriot who has put himself at the service of his compatriots in Albania, Italy, Great Britain and the entire Albanian diaspora.
Dr. Papa is a figure who has exalted Albanian values and is an excellent example of rare professionalism in the field of surgery and cardiology.
He is considered one of the best surgeons in Europe, and has often attracted the attention of the media and the general public for his excellent work, such as the case when he performed a rare operation at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London. An operation that lasted 17 hours, and which was among the few of its kind in the world performed with skill and success.
With a professional education and preparation from the most renowned universities in the world such as Harvard University, Oxford University, La Sapienza, the University of Verona, the University of Geneva and L’Aquila, as a social activist, researcher and patriot, Dr. Kristo Papa best represents Albanian values and makes Albania proud with his work and humanitarian activity.
“Where there is love for medicine, there is love for humanity,” said Hippocrates. Dr. Papa loves medicine and he loves people. His humanism is proven by his extraordinary help to Albanians with medical needs.
He has voluntarily performed over 500 surgical interventions for Albanians living in Italy, also covering their other medical needs.
It is worth mentioning the surgical interventions that he, together with his staff, voluntarily performed for 72 Albanian children in the pediatric ward of the University Hospital in Verona.
Dr. Papa has created a network of Albanian doctors around the world, to voluntarily help various Albanian patients. Dr. Kristo Papa’s humanism was also proven during the Covid-19 pandemic. Through his online digital platform, he helped many Albanians not only in terms of medical care but also by providing humanitarian assistance.
Despite his distinguished career in Italy, Switzerland, Ireland, and currently at the Royal Hospital in London, Dr. Papa has not cut his ties with his homeland.
Through the « Papa » Foundation that he has established, he has provided continuous assistance and organized charity activities for the children of the Children’s Home in Vlora, Albania.
Dr. Papa is an example for all those young men and women who aspire to follow the medical profession, and an inspiration to be as humane as possible in helping people.
Asked about his professional life, Dr. Papa states that:“Throughout my surgical training, I have worked in high volume centers with on call commitments. I have ensured patients with a wide variety of cardiothoracic surgery and general surgery problems incorporating all aspects of elective and emergency care. I managed patients in the setting of an attending physician with responsibility for the day- to-day clinical patient care of both elective and emergency specialty cases.
An important time of my professional growth was at the Verona Hospital, well known as a national center for heart transplants with performs approximately 1200 cardiothoracic surgeries per year and 700 general surgeries per year. During my posting a senior resident at Verona Hospital, I received valuable exposure in the management of complex general and cardiovascular surgical patients wherein I performed advanced procedures such as open and laparoscopic colectomies, anterior resections (AR), cardiovascular surgery, thoracic emergencies, cardiac and pulmonary cancer as well as managing general surgical and vascular emergencies in the setting of a senior resident led service.
At Cork University hospital I performed as first surgeon advanced procedures such as open cardiovascular surgery, thoracic emergencies, cardiac and pulmonary cancer as well as managing general surgical and vascular emergencies like dissections and thoracic trauma.