Healthcare staffing shortages in Croatia and Bosnia

Healthcare services in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are experiencing significant disruptions due to critical shortages of medical personnel and financial instability.

In Croatia, Primorsko-goranska County reported a shortage of 29 nurses and technicians, particularly affecting family medicine and home care. In response, the county has introduced nursing bonuses, continued funding for specializations, and scholarships for medical students. Meanwhile, the Zagreb Prison reported the resignation of three nurses in a single month, forcing judicial police officers to assist with medication distribution. The Union of State and Local Civil Servants and Employees warned this compromises both healthcare accessibility and institutional security.

Broader systemic issues are emerging in Croatia’s emergency services. The Croatian Association of Hospital Physicians (HUBOL) has proposed reforms to combat declining interest in emergency medicine specializations, including reducing the work week from 40 to 32 hours, increasing salaries, and enhancing pension benefits. Health Minister Irena Hrstić acknowledged that the current system requires reorganization to attract new doctors.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the public pharmacy system in Sanski Most remains in crisis, with two out of three local public pharmacies closed following the resignation of 11 workers. The remaining staff report working without pay or social security, while the institution faces debts to medicine suppliers exceeding one million KM. Additionally, the Cantonal Hospital in Bihać is struggling with a lack of specialists, such as neurosurgeons, and a debt of approximately two million marks. Hospital director Amel Kardašević noted that staff are migrating to Sarajevo for better pay, prompting the hospital to seek cooperation with the Clinical Center in Sarajevo for visiting specialists.