The Albanian Health Ministry will offer contact lenses to the citizens at public hospitals free of charge, Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu declared on Sunday.

According to Manastirliu, starting from Jan. 1, the University Hospital Centre "Mother Teresa" in Tirana has offered free of charge cataract operation or contact lenses.

"The citizens in need of this service used to pay around 700 U.S. dollars for that," added Manastirliu.

On Sunday, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Minister, visited the Hospital Centre to observe the work done with all the patients benefiting from the free contact lense package.

Rama assessed the work of the doctors in the health system in Albania, underlining that "The doctors are fantastic and the nurses devoted. But, as a matter of fact the patients are changing their mind as the service offered is good."

Manastirliu said the service can now be offered to more than 2,000 patients in a year, even in the regional hospitals.