August 15, 2021 - In 2018, Professor Tina Dušek, MD, Ph.D. organized the first Šolta Island Medicine Summer School to show young doctors that landing a job in a rural area was the best thing that could happen to them. The planned number of participants was 25. After receiving a staggering 300 applications, she knew she was on the right path.

If you are someone who grew up in a city, it is likely that the word ''island'' to you represents a picture of an everlasting summer. Salty air, gentle breeze, the sound of crashing waves. Peace and quiet. Who could want anything more?

For all their business during the summer, Croatian islands are experiencing depopulation. As much as people enjoy spending their holiday there, few would decide to extend their stay to all 365 days of the year.

All the things that attract tourists - the remoteness, the fact that there is no rush and no traffic, also mean the absence of many advantages of our modern-day life, one of them being the availability of state-of-the-art medical services. The thought puts off both ''regular'' people as well as budding medical professionals.

In order to change that, Tina Dušek, a professor at the Medical School of the University of Zagreb and an internal medicine specialist, with the support of the Croatian Society for Endocrinology and Diabetology organized the first Island Medicine Summer School (Croatian: Ljetna škola otočne medicine) in Stomorska on the island of Šolta, intended for medical students in their final years of study and newly-graduated doctors.

This September will see its third edition of Island Medicine Summer School, with the one last year being postponed due to the pandemic. 

Why a school of ''island medicine''? 

As explained on their page, ''the island symbolizes a geographically isolated area whose population has difficulty accessing larger health facilities. Such conditions - whether truly on an island or in a remote continental town - require the comprehensive training of a doctor, who must be an internist, a surgeon, an obstetrician, a radiologist, a psychiatrist, and more. In the absence of sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic methods, the most valuable medical tool is the knowledge and experience, which we want to pass onto you''.                                                                                           

Island Medicine Summer School has two goals. One, to help young doctors gain authentic life and professional experience, and to increase their interest in professional engagement in geographically isolated environments, and the other, to contribute to the quality of life and health care in other geographically isolated areas.

In short, the Summer School prepares its participants to diagnose and treat patients in places without sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic methods available.

''Bring medicine back to a human level''

As professor Tina Dušek explains, ''21st-century medicine strongly relies on arranging a dozen different tests and diagnostic procedures, a patient gets a referral for this and a referral for that. In the end, it results in moving away from person-centered care.

Our motivation was to think about medicine in ''island conditions'', that is, in absence of sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic methods, the way it looked a hundred years ago, when a doctor or a medicine man, if you will, a healer, had nothing but his hands, his knowledge, experience, and his emotion to work with.

That is the idea of our Island Medicine Summer School – to bring medicine back to a human and humane level, where a relationship between a patient and a doctor is in the foreground and a starting point for everything else.''

One thing that professor Dušek has emphasized again and again throughout our conversation was the importance of human touch and empathy. It is easy to learn to do X if Y, to follow the steps you have been taught as a student. Prescribe this, refer to that specialist, make an appointment for a procedure - everyone can do that. However, there is more to a good doctor than issuing a correct diagnosis. 

The right approach is everything, according to professor Dušek. Empathy, emotional intelligence, the patience to stop and truly listen to what people are saying - that is what makes a great doctor.

''Small communities are excellent ground for making a lasting impact''

''On the one hand, we still have people who approach medical professionals with reverence and unease. On the other, young doctors are often still building their confidence and can also feel unsure on the best way to speak to a patient. That is why I think that getting a position in a rural area, a small town, on an island, is a great path to self-developing both as an individual and as a doctor. Small communities are perfect for those with the desire and ambition to make an impact, come up with a project that will add to society in some way. When you work as an island doctor, you get to know your patients, you develop a connection.

Sometimes, they will come not because they need medical assistance, but because they need someone to talk to. Doctors working in rural areas will have an easier time to stand out and to bring about a positive change, much more effectively than they would in a complex system such as a clinical center in a big city.''

''An overwhelming response already producing results''

I ask if they have already heard from former participants of past Summer Schools. Is the changing perception of working in rural areas already noticeable? 

''Yes, it is. Off the top of my head, there is one colleague who accepted a job on Murter and another who works in Sisak-Moslavina County. During our first year, in 2018. we received 300 applications. We try to choose candidates who have already shown interest in volunteering and working in the community. Grades are not the deciding factor here. As students are accepted based on a motivation letter, we also try to take into consideration that not everyone has a way with words. We try to give a chance to a diverse set of candidates. 

''Participants work in small groups intensively with instructors, solving professional tasks in a "problem based" form and practicing manual skills. The local community has welcomed our initiative, as we organize free blood pressure and blood sugar measurement.''

For more stories about great initiatives such as this one, CLICK HERE.

ZAGREB, 14 Aug, 2021 - The Croatian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that according to available information, 23 Croatian nationals were currently in Afghanistan and that it was "following the situation in the country" and was at its nationals' disposal for any assistance.

The ministry said it was also "exchanging information with the partner countries."

The Croatian nationals in Afghanistan have not requested consular assistance and neither have their family members. "The companies which hired the Croatian citizens are organising the repatriation of their employees," the ministry said.

After the withdrawal of U.S. and Allied forces, the Taliban have been making lightning progress for weeks now. The radical Islamist group has occupied most of Afghanistan and is nearing the capital of Kabul, which has prompted Western countries to repatriate their embassy staff.

For Coatia's latest news updates, CLICK HERE.

ZAGREB, 14 Aug, 2021 - The Delta coronavirus variant is the predominant one not just in Europe but Croatia as well, where it makes up 77% of the cases, epidemiologist Sanja Kurečić Filipović said on Saturday, not ruling out a tightening of restrictions if the number of cases continued to rise.

We have been seeing a continuous rise over the past month. We can ascribe it also to the inflow of foreign tourists and increased socialising, but we are entering the autumn period when the virus will have other factors in its favour, the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) epidemiologist told the national broadcaster HRT.

She called on people to comply with COVID rules and said she hoped the vaccination numbers would increase.

She said the vaccine rollout campaign was ongoing and that the HZJZ expected interest in vaccination to increase after people returned from vacation when, she added, they would probably think about their responsibility to children going to kindergarten and school.

Ahead of tomorrow's Feast of the Assumption holiday, she called on pilgrims to comply with public transport COVID rules and to keep a distance in buildings where services were held and to wear masks indoors.

For more on COVID-19, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

For more about Croatia, CLICK HERE.

August 14, 2021 - Meet Bots&Pots - the first restaurant in which the food will be prepared by robotic chefs is set to open in Zagreb soon. 

At a yet undisclosed location in Zagreb, GammaChef, a robotic chef capable of preparing one-pot meals such as Dalmatian gregada, stews, risottos, or seafood pasta.

The bot is continually learning new recipes with the help of a (human) professional chef. As Netokracija writes, every time a chef prepares a new dish for the first time using GammaChef, the robot creates a digital recipe with all the necessary data. The automated and patented process in the software then, using sensors, reproduces all the steps of the recipe, following the instructions of a professional chef. There will be five robots in the Bots&Pots restaurant, which means they will be able to serve up to 60 servings per hour. 

The operation of the restaurant will be fully digitized and monitored via a mobile application, and will rely heavily on just-in-time procurement thanks to close monitoring of inventory. Guests will be able to choose food via a screen and be able to watch the robot prepare food. Bots&Pots restaurant is a result of the collaboration between GammaChef's Dražen Drnas, entrepreneur Hrvoje Bujas, and Giuliano Nolo.

As Netokracija quoted Drnas: ''We have designed a restaurant that will best suit the younger population and that makes the most of the possibilities and qualities of robots. The goal is for guests to come first for the robot and the second and every next time for food.'' 

The restaurant has already attracted much attention. Most recently, Bots&Pots shared on their Facebook page that they received a visit from the new British ambassador to Croatia, Simon Thomas, in their showroom, where GammaChef is diligently learning to prepare new dishes.

As the authors of the project GammaChef wrote on their website: ''We don’t believe in 3D printing of food and we don’t believe in magic pills that will replace eating. Yes, we believe in digital recipes but in digital recipes of our grandmas, your friends, or the best chefs that put their love, passion, and knowledge to prepare tasty meals. We believe there are no shortcuts in cooking, therefore, GammaChef prepares food just like real people do.''

For more on business, CLICK HERE.

August 14, 2021 - Split Ferry Port traffic in 2021 is at 80% of 2019's numbers, and more Croatia traffic news this weekend as crowds form all over the country. 

Tens of thousands of passengers will pass through Split's ferry port this weekend, and judging by the large crowds; the season is in full swing, reports Dalmacija Danas.

Jelena Ivulić, head of Jadrolinija in Split, commented on this weekend's numbers. 

"This weekend, we expect over 80 thousand passengers and more than 18 thousand vehicles at the Split Ferry Port," said Ivulić.

She adds that we are crossing 80% of 2019, and at 8.45 and 12.30, extra lines for Supetar sailed.

"The data is really great, we are delighted, and we hope that it will last longer,' she concluded.

In other Croatia traffic news, traffic is temporarily suspended on the A1 motorway at the Sveti Rok tunnel in the direction of Dubrovnik.

Traffic has increased on most roads in the direction of the sea and inland. This is especially true on the A1 motorway between the Lučko toll and the Bosiljevo II junction, the Čelinka tunnel and the Maslenica junction in the south direction, and between the Zadar II junction and the Bristovac tunnel in the direction of Zagreb. In addition, there are occasional traffic jams and moving columns on the A2 Zagreb-Macelj motorway, towards the Trakošćan toll with the occasional closure of the Frukov Krč tunnel, on the Zagreb bypass between the Jankomir and Lučko junctions in the direction of the A1 motorway, on the Krk bridge in both directions, especially mainland, towards individual border crossings and at the approaches to ferry ports. Drivers are advised to maintain a safe distance between vehicles.

A traffic ban for trucks with a maximum permissible weight of over 7.5 tons on some roads in Istria and the coast is in effect today (August 14) until 23:00 and tomorrow (August 15) from 12:00 to 23:00 (summer ban also due to the Feast of the Assumption). On the other hand, there is no ban on the DC1 motorways and state roads.

For the Feast of the Assumption, many pilgrims are expected on the access roads of the Marian shrines, so road users are urged to be extra careful.

During the day, due to increased traffic, there may be difficulties, occasional delays, and convoy driving on some sections of highways, Zagreb (A3) and Rijeka (A7) bypass, Krk Bridge (DC102), Istrian Y towards the border crossings Kastel and Plovanija, at Učka tunnel and the junction Matulji, Lička (DC1) and Jadranska magistrala (DC8) at the approaches to tourist centers, in ferry ports and wharves and at some border crossings. Occasional delays are also possible on sections where works are in progress. Therefore, drivers should adjust their speed and driving style to the conditions on the roads.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

ZAGREB, 14 Aug, 2021 - In the last 24 hours, 9,194 coronavirus tests have been performed in Croatia, and of them 4%, that is 367, have come back positive, the national COVID-19 crisis management team reported on Saturday.

The COVID-19 death toll has risen by two to 8,282.

Currently, there are 1,782 active cases, and 192 patients infected with this virus are receiving hospital treatment including 20 placed on ventilators.

Since the first registered case of the infection with coronavirus in Croatia on 25 February 2020, 366,724 people have tested positive, and of them, 356,660 have to date recovered, including 223 recoveries in the last 24 hours.

One in two adult Croats vaccinated against COVID-19

Since the start of the vaccine rollout, 3,166,258 coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered in Croatia, and four in ten citizens (41.4%) have got vaccinated, or 49.7% of the adult population.

So far, nearly 1.68 million people have been given a shot, while 1.55 million have fully been vaccinated, that is 45.9% of the adult population.

For more on COVID-19, follow TCN's dedicated page.

For more about Croatia, CLICK HERE.

ZAGREB, 14 Aug, 2021 - The project entitled "Creating and placement of the new cross-border active tourism product as an integral part of modern tourist offering between Mura and Raba" was promoted in the northern Croatian city of Varaždin.

The €793,608 "Mura Raba Tour" project, as it is called in short, is co-financed by the Interreg Cooperation Programme V-A Slovenia-Hungary for the period of 2014-2020 in the amount of 675,000.

During the event in Varaždin, representatives of the AS TV station from the Slovenian town of Morska Sobota promoted the project aimed at creating opportunities for active holiday-making in the cross-border region.

For instance, one of the intentions of the programme is offering the experience of the Mura and Raba rivers from a raft or a canoe; horse riding programme offering horse riding and rides in a horse carriage along the former ‘iron curtain’; hiking programme presenting the life of former border guards and offering a possibility of hiking along the border guards route, according to the informaiton published on the Project Mura Raba Tour website.

Addressing the event, Muska Sobota mayor Aleksander Javšek said that Croatia, Slovenia, Austria and Hungary "have a bright future" in the new EU financial perspective which can be realised through good cooperation and neighbourly relations, bringing about benefits for the local inhabitants.

During today's presentation also local culinary products, including Varaždinski klipič, baked dough in the shape of a stick, which has recently been awarded the label of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) at the EU level.

For more on travel, follow TCN's dedicated page.

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ZAGREB, 14 Aug, 2021 - The local authorities in Split-Dalmatia County have recently decided to reward the four Olympic medalists, who hail from this Croatian region, and the two of them who were Olympic champions in their events in Tokyo received the highest reward, 25,000 kuna at a ceremony in Split on 9 August.

Those were Matea Jelić, who grabbed the Olympic gold medal in the women's taekwondo 67kg final, and Mate Pavić, who was a member of the Croatian pair that won Olympic men's doubles tennis title.

A reward of 20,000 kuna was given to sailor Tonči Stipanović, who bagged silver in the men's one-person dinghy laser event at the Tokyo Games, while a reward of 15,000 kuna was for the Olympic bronze medallist Toni Kanaet in the taekwondo 80kg men event.

During the 23 July-8 August Olympic Games in Tokyo, Croatia won eight medals: three golds, three silvers and two bronzes.

The latest Croatian Olympic champions are thus taekwondoist Jelić, rowers Valent and Martin Sinković in the men's pair, and the Croatian tennis players -- Pavić and Nikola Mektić -- who won Olympic men's doubles tennis title.

The three silvers were grabbed in the above-mentioned sailing event as well as in the men's doubles tennis event (Marin Čilić and Ivan Dodig) and in the men's horizontal bar (Tin Srbić).

Apart from Kanaet, the other bronze medallist was a rower, Damir Martin, who won bronze in the men's single sculls.

Croatia placed 26th out of 93 states in the rankings of medal winners at the 32nd Olympics in Japan while the most successful were U.S. athletes with 39 gold medals, 41 silvers and 33 bronzes won.

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