Healthcare reform and patient support discussed in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia

Healthcare stakeholders in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia are addressing systemic challenges through recent regional discussions. In Mostar, a roundtable organized by the NES, PDA, and Naprijed – Za Evropsku BiH coalition focused on reforming the healthcare system in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNK).

Key proposals from the Mostar meeting include aligning healthcare laws with EU standards, strengthening primary care, and reducing waiting lists. One suggestion involves the health insurance institute covering private medical costs if a patient must wait more than one month for a public service. The group also emphasized the need to retain medical staff and improve working conditions.

In Zagreb, the 9th National Conference on Rare Diseases highlighted the difficulties faced by over 250,000 people living with rare diseases in Croatia. Participants, including representatives from the Croatian Alliance for Rare Diseases, noted that while expertise exists, the system remains fragmented. Experts argued that support should be proactively directed to patients rather than requiring patients to navigate complex social and medical systems themselves to find diagnosis and treatment.