Interview: surgery for facial carcinomas
Telegraf 2019
Our Founder
Prof. Dr. Agim Karaj
Surgeon · Oncologist · Founder of Spitali Amavita
25 November 1950 - 25 November 2024
"A whole life in the service of the lives of others."
Vision
The vision that built a hospital.
Spitali Amavita was born in 2009 from the vision of a doctor who believed that world-class healthcare should not be a distant privilege for Albanians.
Noticing the lack of a private service that offered not only professional expertise but also a relationship built on trust, communication and commitment to the patient, Prof. Dr. Agim Karaj set out to build a healthcare institution where every patient would feel heard, valued and treated according to their specific needs. At a time when personalised care was limited, Amavita was created on the conviction that patients should not be treated as numbers, but as individuals with their own stories, concerns and needs.
Since its founding, Amavita has been guided by clear values: professionalism, integrity, respect for the patient, medical ethics and a commitment to quality of service. These principles have been the foundation of the hospital's development and continue to guide its mission today.
This is how Amavita began: not simply as a hospital, but as a promise - that the patient would find quality, human and personalised healthcare, at home.
Career
A career in the service of life.
Prof. Dr. Agim Karaj was one of the best-known names in oncological surgery in Albania.
- Training: He specialised at the Gustave Roussy Institute in Paris - a leading European referral centre for cancer surgery - in colorectal cancer surgery and oncoplastic surgery.
- Career: He served as an oncological surgeon and head of surgery at QSUT "Nënë Tereza", before leading surgery at Spitali Amavita.
- Scientific contribution: He presented at the European Institute of Oncology in Milan on new techniques in breast oncoplasty.
- Languages: He communicated fluently in English and French.
He was particularly known for rare and complex procedures - in skin cancer and melanoma, and in facial reconstruction - operations rarely performed in the country. Patients came to him from Kosovo, Switzerland and further afield, often cases that had been turned away elsewhere.
A patient from Kosovo, who had been turned away for the procedure elsewhere, described the operation by Prof. Karaj as a rebirth.
Telegraf, 2019
Legacy
A legacy that continues.
Prof. Karaj's vision did not pass away with him.
Today, Spitali Amavita is led by his son, Elvis Karaj, as CEO - raised with the same values and committed to keeping alive the standard his father set.
Mr Elvis Karaj completed his studies at Fleming College, Ontario (International Trade), as well as the Faculty of Law in Albania, building an academic background in management and law. For several years he has been involved in leading Amavita, contributing to the growth and consolidation of the institution as a modern healthcare centre.
"Amavita is far more than a hospital for our family. It is the vision, the dedication and the tireless work of my father, Prof. Dr. Agim Karaj, who believed that healthcare must always place the person at its centre. He taught us that medicine is not only science, but also responsibility, respect and empathy towards every patient. Today, it is a privilege and a great responsibility for me to continue the path he began, preserving the values on which Amavita was founded and developing it further with the same commitment to quality and human care."
- Elvis Karaj
Every life saved here is a continuation of his work.
In Memoriam
A word from the family.
With gratitude and deep respect we remember Prof. Dr. Agim Karaj, our father first and foremost, who has honoured us and continues to make us proud with his name, not only as the founder of Spitali Amavita. His vision, dedication and values continue to guide every step of the institution he created.
For us as a family, he was not only an outstanding doctor and a dedicated professional, but also a rare person - someone who believed that patient care must be built on respect, dignity and humanity. The legacy he left behind is measured not only by his professional achievements, but by the lives he touched, the trust he built and the gratitude he sowed among thousands of families. Even today, many of the patients he treated and their families continue to remember him with respect and gratitude. This is the most beautiful testament to the impact he had on people's lives, and the most precious legacy he left behind.
Today, we honour his memory by continuing the mission he began, with the same commitment to people and their health.
The Karaj Family
In the Press
In the press & recognition.
Success in the fight against tumours at Amavita
OraNews
Amavita and Dr. Karaj during the COVID-19 pandemic
Telegraf
Public appeal on breast cancer (video)
Top Channel
In memory of oncologist Agim Karaj
Euronews Albania 2024