Support to initiative proposed by councillor in MC Tuzla

Health Center Tuzla

Jasminka Mijatovic, councillor of Municipal Council Tuzla raised councillor’s question at the last session of Municipal council:

„When will the waiting list / or scheduling in the Health Center Tuzla be reduced to a reasonable amount of time and when it will start with prevention programs to protect population of Tuzla Municipality?“

Explanation

Since the week before was marked as a European Day Against Cervix Cancer (January 19-25), and the 4th February was marked as International Day of Fight Against Cancer, I found justified to ask when the implementation of access to health care reforms will begin, which will enable the provision of prevention above all, if it is possible to avoid the disease, and in the case of early diagnosis patients would be given higher chance to heal (fully or partially). As per my knowledge, women who receive a referral for a Papa test in the Health Centre Tuzla, except in the case of a systematic medical examination, the same test can not be done in the Health Centre Tuzla. They are refered to University Clinical Center Tuzla, which is not disputed, but waiting period for this examination in University Clinical Centre Tuzla is up to one year. On the other hand, if you are in need for any of X-rays (eg. Spine) in the Health Center, you will now be scheduled for the end-March. However, if you are on sick leave more than 42 days, you are referred to the Commission on 42nd day of sick leave, on which occassion you are required to bring your tests with you, that you can only fantasize about, because you were scheduled to do the test on the 60th day of sick leave. Process of development of The Strategy on treatment of malignant diseases, which is one of the preconditions that BiH must fulfill if it is to become an EU member, was participated by physicians from this area too.

The Strategy aims to reduce the number of patients coming in the terminal phase in stage III or IV cancer, when it can no longer be treated. I hope that family medicine, having waiting lists for appointments as well which are inappropriately long, and that has reduced to mere issuance of orders and prescriptions, can give a far greater contribution in this. And considering the difficult financial situation, as well as in this sector, I think that prevention and early detection of disease is less expensive form of health care.”

Association „HO HORIZONTI“, nongovernmental organisation which advocates for active participation and better position of women in our society in a human, open and professional manner and Association „HO ZZIPO“ Tuzla, nongovernmental organisation which advocates for improvement of a woman’s health through health program, support the initiative of councillor Jasminka Mijatović and request a response for what reason citizens of Tuzla have to wait for years for mammography, months for CT, days for family physicians. We believe that Tuzla Municipality, as founder of Public Institution Health Center Tuzla, needs to resolve this issue urgently and to request resolution from competent health system authorities on these urgent problems which negatively affect the health of  our citizens.

Association “HO HORIZONTI” Tuzla                                     Association “HO ZZIPO” Tuzla