Healthcare and public health in Bosnia and Herzegovina and

Public health initiatives and systemic healthcare discussions are occurring in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.

During Tuberculosis Awareness Week, organizations like the Red Cross conducted activities to promote prevention and early detection. In Doboj, the Red Cross organized health testing and fundraising, noting 21 new cases at the ‘St. Apostle Luka’ Hospital this year. In Zadar, Croatia, the Red Cross provided hygiene supplies to the pulmonology department of the Zadar General Hospital, which has treated five tuberculosis patients so far this year.

Simultaneously, regional stakeholders are addressing broader healthcare reforms. In Mostar, discussions focused on aligning healthcare laws with EU standards, strengthening primary care, and reducing waiting lists in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton. Proposals included having health insurance cover private costs if public service wait times exceed one month. In Zagreb, the 9th National Conference on Rare Diseases addressed the fragmented support system for over 250,000 people living with rare diseases in Croatia, advocating for more proactive patient support.