Croatia Will have To Import Doctors

We are facing a shortage of doctors. We are 300 intern doctors, 130 family medicine teams and paediatricians short already, Ostojic said.

The Croatian public health care system was the best export brand of the 20 th century and now we will have to import doctors and nurses, opposition Parliament members said during the discussion on the package of six medical laws.

- We are facing a shortage of doctors. We are 300 intern doctors, 130 family medicine teams and paediatricians short already, especially in Slavonia and this is why I appeal for human resources to be taken into account – Ranko Ostojic of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) said.

Andrija Hebrang of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) said that when it comes to the education of health professions, Croatia was a leader in the region and Europe, while current reform steps are directed towards organisation, management and finances.

- We need to be prepared so that the conditions of work and income are not such that doctors leave Croatia – Hebrang said.

As the SDP said that the situation in health care was disastrous and that there were no reforms, not even on the horizon, the HDZ said that the health care reform has been continuously implemented since 1990.

- The reform is permanent and now we are adjusting the laws to the EU system – Hebrang said.

 He pointed out that 15 percent of the funds from the state budget is singled out for health care, which is among the highest percentages in Europe

- There is constant talk of a collapse and the health care system has not collapsed yet – said head state secretary at the Croatian Health Ministry Ante Zvonimir Golem, adding that indebtedness in health care has decreased 2.6 million kuna to 1.5 billion.