Sarajevo Canton increases funding for rheumatoid arthritis therapies

At a professional gathering held at the University Clinical Center Sarajevo for World Rheumatism Day, health officials reported a significant increase in the availability of treatments for rheumatoid arthritis in Sarajevo Canton.

Muamer Kosovac, Director of the Sarajevo Canton Health Insurance Institute, stated that the institute now finances 340 biological therapies for rheumatoid arthritis patients, a substantial increase from the 40 therapies funded four years ago. This expansion aims to eliminate waiting lists for these high-cost treatments, which can cost between one thousand and several thousand convertible marks per month.

For the current year, more than 3.7 million KM has been allocated for rheumatoid arthritis biological therapy. Additionally, over 1 million KM has been designated for a psoriasis treatment protocol developed in collaboration with the Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Health. Dr. Sanko Pandur noted that while biological therapy is the gold standard for improving quality of life and reducing disability, the incidence of the disease is increasing, presenting ongoing challenges for the healthcare system.