ZAGREB, November 10, 2018 - The Health Ministry issued a statement on Friday saying that an analysis of complaints submitted by the parents association "Roda" in a campaign called "End the silence" regarding the unprofessional treatment of women by medical staff showed that most of the 401 complaints refer to female patients' dissatisfaction with the administration of anaesthesia during medical procedures, lack of communication or inappropriate communication and the unprofessional conduct of medical staff.

The ministry notes that the number of 401 complaints over a period of more than 15 years (the oldest complaint dates back to 1983) is a relatively small number but that it considers even one complaint to be too many.

It notes that since 400 of the complaints were anonymous and many did not contain information on the time when the events in question occurred or the name of the medical institution concerned, inspections could not be carried out in those cases.

A ministry task force entrusted with analysing the complaints nonetheless analysed all individual complaints and conducted inspections in seven hospitals. The inspections, focusing on gynaecologists, were carried out to check the lawfulness of medical procedures and the professionalism of medical staff, with emphasis on the availability of various types of anaesthesia at childbirth and invasive procedures in gynaecology and obstetrics, the ministry said.

A preliminary analysis established certain differences in the organisation of anaesthesiology health services and anaesthesia administration procedures, with the task force concluding that each patient has the right to adequate anaesthesia in line with medical indications.

Commenting on the recent case of Member of Parliament Ivana Ninčević Lesandrić, who publicly spoke of her negative hospital experience following a miscarriage, and whom the ministry identified only by her initials, the ministry described the procedure applied at the Split Clinical Hospital's emergency service in cases of miscarriage, noting that inadequate communication may be the reason why patients do not understand medical procedures and the types of anaesthesia applied.

As for reports of inappropriate communication or unprofessional conduct, collected in the "End the silence" campaign, the ministry says that it could not establish facts in those cases because the complaints were anonymous. "However, even if there were such cases, the Health Ministry considers them unacceptable, condemns them and expresses regret at them," the ministry says calling on all women patients who have complaints about the quality of healthcare to report their experience immediately to the relevant medical institutions' administration and cite as many relevant data as possible.

It says that based on its analysis, the Health Ministry task force has defined a set of measures to improve healthcare for women.

"Doctor-patient communication is to be improved at all levels of healthcare for women. Medical institutions have the obligation to ensure formal theoretical and practical education in communication skills for employees at all levels, and their obligation is to undergo such training.

"Every woman has the right to adequate analgesia and anaesthesia. Medical staff have the duty to explain to every woman the possibilities of various types of analgesia and anaesthesia as well as indications and counter-indications for their use, with all advantages and risks," the ministry says, noting that rules for the application of different types of analgesia and anaesthesia for specific procedures should be defined by the Croatian Medical Chamber.

The ministry task force also proposes zero tolerance to inappropriate and/or unprofessional conduct and advises patients who encounter such conduct to report it immediately to the relevant medical institutions so that legally defined procedures could be launched.

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ZAGREB, October 31, 2018 - Health Minister Milan Kujundžić said on Wednesday Croatia was not thinking about legalising marijuana as Canada had done recently, but that its use for medical purposes was allowed in cases in which it had proven effective and that these patients could procure and use it.

He said amendments to the drug abuse prevention law also defined hemp and that as of now its use, when its active ingredient was below 0.2%, would be allowed in numerous industries.

"Until now, we could only use seeds in Croatia, the rest had to be destroyed. Under the new law, the Agriculture Ministry will keep a record of who plants it, how much and where, and report it to the Interior Ministry. Hemp use will be possible in the auto industry, cosmetics, construction and other industries," Kujundžić said.

He added that amendments to the drug abuse prevention law, which the government endorsed today, would make it possible to ban new drugs.

"There are serious problems because new drugs appear literally every day and they can't be banned until they are registered. Under the new law, the minister of health will be able to register these new drugs and initiate proceedings to prevent distribution. Among them are some drugs that are not only harmful but can cause death," Kujundžić said, adding that the amendments were aligned with European Union legislation.

The current government is not exactly known for its progressive policies, so no one expected it to even contemplate legalising marijuana. Major efforts are needed just to protect basic human rights, so the drug policy changes are not going to happen anytime soon. Canada and similar countries are decades ahead of Croatia, and it is highly unlikely that the gap will be reduced.

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ZAGREB, October 15, 2018 - Representatives of the Roda parent association on Monday presented the Health Ministry with the testimonies of 400 women with unpleasant experiences in Croatian hospitals. "We bring you the testimonies of 400 women who have experienced some form of violent and painful treatment before, after or during labour," Daniela Drandic of the Roda association told the press outside the Health Ministry.

ZAGREB, October 12, 2018 - The head of the Clinic for Women's Diseases at the Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) in Split, Deni Karelović, denied on Friday the statement made by an opposition lawmaker in the Croatian parliament on Thursday that she had undergone curettage at the KBC Split without anaesthesia.

ZAGREB, October 12, 2018 - Health Minister Milan Kujundžić, at the end of an eight-hour long session late on Thursday evening, thanked all MPs who took part in a debate, as well as those who had signed a petition for his dismissal, saying that by doing so they have created room for a discussion about the health system, but he also criticised some MPs for their ignorance and populism which provoked a storm of reactions within the opposition who accused him of insulting them.

ZAGREB, October 4, 2018 - The Croatian government on Thursday proposed that the parliament refuse a motion for a no-confidence vote in Health Minister Milan Kujundžić, dismissing in its entirety the motion submitted to the parliament by 31 opposition lawmakers in late September.

ZAGREB, September 28, 2018 - Opposition parties on Friday put forward a no-confidence motion against Health Minister Milan Kujundžić, after they had collected 31 signatures of lawmakers, as required under the procedure.

So far, 26 people have been diagnosed with the disease and one person has died.

ZAGREB, August 27, 2018 - A 172.3 million kuna European Union grant will be invested to equip day hospitals and outpatient surgeries in nine hospitals in Croatia and an agreement to that end was signed on Monday by EU Funds Minister Gabrijela Žalac and Health Minister Milan Kujundžić.

ZAGREB, August 22, 2018 - The MOST party on Wednesday presented 52 reasons why they are calling for Health Minister Milan Kujundžić to be replaced while Kujundžić said that he was adamant that he would sue three lawmakers and request that their medical licences be revoked.