May 20, 2022 - In an effort to dig deeper into the situation of termination of pregnancy in Croatia, Health Minister Vili Beroš requested last week a list of Croatian doctors who refused to perform abortions owing to conscientious objection. However, according to Croatian media reports, the Ministry always had this list and knew the number.

Last week, Health Minister Vili Beroš asked hospital directors to list all healthcare workers who invoke conscientious objection and refuse to terminate a pregnancy to determine if hospital functioning is compromised, reports Telegram.hr. The move gives the impression that the minister wants to do something after being embroiled in the controversial Čavajda affair but, as Jutarnji list reported in its print edition, Beroš already knew that more than half of doctors in Croatia have a conscientious objection.

When Jutarnji found out that the Minister had asked hospitals to list their employed doctors who have a conscientious objection to abortion, the Ministry did not answer their question, and Beroš did not answer the question of MP Anka Mrak Taritaš, who asked on April 20 how many doctors refused to assist women in the legal termination of pregnancy, which is something guaranteed by law.

Namely, out of a total of 359 hospital gynecologists in Croatia, 164 gynecologists agree to perform abortions/terminations of pregnancy for women until the tenth week of gestation, which is legally regulated and legal, and 195 refuse to do so. Beroš admitted this to RTL on May 9, two days before asking the directors of the country's hospitals to list their doctors with conscientious objections to performing abortions.

''Conscience appeal and termination of pregnancy do not exclude each other''

Beroš then said that in that case "outpatient gynecologists are to be hired in the requested hospital or in the nearest healthcare institution in accordance with the law.''

When asked by Jutarnji whether it makes sense to ask hospitals (yet again) for a list of conscientious objectors when they already know how many refuse to terminate pregnancies, and whether or not the plan is to do something so that women can exercise their legally guaranteed right, the Ministry sent them the same answer as they did to RTL more than ten days ago.

They only added that "they periodically collect data with the aim of actively managing the processes for the benefit of patients and that the right to abortion and to conscientious objection are not mutually exclusive and institutions are obliged to find conditions for exercising both rights." However, Mirela Čavajda could not exercise her legal right in Croatia, so she had to go to Slovenia for her abortion.

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ZAGREB, 16 May 2022 - The Ministry of Health said on Monday that a health inspection had been completed, with regard to the case of pregnant patient Mirela Čavajda, at the KB Sveti Duh Hospital and the Sisters of Charity Hospital in Zagreb and that procedural omissions had been established.

A health inspection by the Health Ministry was conducted at the KB Sveti Duh Hospital, the Sisters of Charity Hospital, and the KB Merkur Hospital. After the entire documentation was reviewed and talks were conducted with the employees of the hospitals, it was established there were procedural omissions at the KB Sveti Duh and Sisters of Mercy hospitals, and the health inspectorate will take further measures, the ministry said in a press release.

It was determined that the patient was provided with all available healthcare in accordance with the profession and legal provisions in Croatia.

Inspection also at private healthcare facility that provided pregnancy care

In order to establish all relevant facts in this complex case, the health inspectorate decided it was also necessary to conduct an inspection at the private healthcare facility where the patient was provided with health services during her pregnancy.

With regard to the irregularities at the KB Sveti Duh Hospital, non-compliance with the legal procedure of the first-instance commission was established, which was subsequently corrected and sent to a second-instance commission at the KBC Zagreb Hospital. At the Sisters of Charity Hospital, which the patient contacted via her attorney, upon making the first-instance decision, there was a failure to inform the patient of her right to contact the KBC Zagreb Hospital as a second-instance body.

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ZAGREB, 16 May 2022 - About 400 ambulance drivers and paramedics went on strike on Monday saying they will continue striking until their demands are met and their pay is aligned with that of drivers in the medical system, with shop steward Vladimir Markuš saying that the Health Ministry pushed them into the strike.

"The consequences of the strike will be visible already today and even more tomorrow. We are going until our demands are met, but unfortunately, the Health Ministry has literally pushed us into this strike," Markuš told Hina.

The strikers are calling for a regulation that would align their earnings at the country level because now their wages vary up to HRK 1,500 in some cases, depending on which county they are in.

Ambulance drivers are striking in several counties and cities.

About 400 ambulance drivers are on strike at local health clinics, while another 300 drivers at emergency medical centers in seven counties, who are not allowed to strike, are working to rule.

Markuš added that the only response strikers received from the ministry were that Minister Vili Beroš was "away today" and he had made a statement yesterday.

"The minister is calling for care for Croatian citizens who will not be getting their rights, yet he contributed to the fact that many people have not been able to exercise their rights. Patients have been waiting for MRI tests for up to a year and a half. These people are being deprived," Markuš said.

"We will not leave patients without care. Those needing transport will get it but those who are not urgent cases won't because only about 30% of drivers are working and they cannot handle all that work," added Markuš.

Markuš appealed to the ministry to resolve their problem so that the system does not collapse.

"We are waiting for the competent authorities to do their job and adopt a regulation on indexation. As soon as it is adopted, we will cease the strike," Markuš said.

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ZAGREB, 15 May 2022 - Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Sunday, ahead of a strike of non-emergency ambulance drivers set for Monday, that he supports any protest that is in line with the law but that he will not tolerate patients being denied the right to health care.

Some of the non-emergency ambulance drivers have announced a strike for Monday, to last until their demands are met and a regulation is adopted that would make their wages even throughout the country as currently they differ up to HRK 1,500, depending on the county where they work.

The minister said a solution was being defined with all the relevant stakeholders, recalling that last year the government and the health ministry launched dialogue with unions and showed the will to resolve the problem.

He added that there was therefore no reason to strike or take action that would be to the detriment of patients and that he expected local clinics and non-emergency ambulance drivers to continue providing regular services so that a solution to their problem could be found in a constructive and peaceful atmosphere.

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ZAGREB, 6 May (2022) - The Health Ministry said on Thursday that it requested the four Zagreb hospitals where 39-year-old Mirela Čavajda had asked for a pregnancy termination after her unborn baby was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour, to send it information about the case.

Čavajda contacted four Zagreb hospitals, of which the KB Sveti Duh Hospital and the Sisters of Charity Hospital refused to perform the procedure, while the KB Merkur Hospital and the Hospital for Women's Diseases, popularly known as Petrova, have still not sent her any answer.

"The Health Ministry has requested the medical institutions contacted by the patient, which reportedly did not provide her with timely and accurate information about her options, to provide information on the case. Depending on further findings, the Ministry will make a decision on possible further steps from within the remit of the healthcare inspectorate," the ministry said.

It noted that every woman has the right to abort in cases where there are medical indications.

"The Health Ministry draws the attention of all health institutions to their duty to provide timely and accurate information to patients on their rights and the options they have in Croatia," the ministry said.

Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević on Thursday condemned the case as discrimination of women, announcing that the management of the Sveti Duh Hospital, of which the City of Zagreb is the founder and where all gynecologists are conscientious objectors, would secure conditions for all types of pregnancy termination at the hospital as soon as possible.

He also noted that the hospital's director had formed a commission to establish the circumstances of the case.

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ZAGREB, 20 April 2022 - Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Wednesday that the first phase of the healthcare reform was under way and that the reform would provide for a new way of paying for healthcare by taking into account service quality.

The proposal to amend the Healthcare Act and the Mandatory Health Insurance Act will be finished by June and put to public consultation, Beroš said in Parliament in response to Social Democratic Party (SDP) MP Andreja Marić who warned about a number of unresolved issues faced by the healthcare system.

The second phase will include the amendment of subsidiary legislation and the adjustment of the network of public health services, he added.

"I know you are impatient, but these changes have been waiting for decades and a time frame of several months is irrelevant," the health minister said.

He said that the reform would provide for a new way of agreeing and paying for healthcare by taking into account service quality.

"So far we have been paying for healthcare in an inadequate way. We have been paying for someone to do that work and from now on we need to start paying for how the work is done," Beroš said.

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ZAGREB, 15 April (2022) - SDP leader Peđa Grbin has criticised Health Minister Vili Beroš for not implementing any real reforms to deal with problems in the health sector, noting that the SDP will present its own reform proposal to prevent one of the worst possible consequences of Beroš's inaction - privatisation of healthcare.

"The possible privatisation of healthcare could lead to polarisation in society, dividing people into those who can afford healthcare and those who can't. The SDP will strongly oppose that with its own health reform proposal," Grbin said.

Since early 2021 billions of kuna have been given to the Health Ministry to settle debts which despite that have continued to grow because the government has not done anything to stop their growth but has reduced healthcare outlays, he said.

The SDP leader warned that the coronavirus pandemic had revealed numerous problems in the health care system, from the large number of people with diseases, including malignancies, to the fact that healthcare is not equally available to everyone.

Now that the coronavirus pandemic is waning, we will realise how much the system is inefficient and healthcare inadequate, he said.

Instead of dealing with how to reform the system, the minister again has to deal with anti-corruption investigators who are "combing his ministry's records on the suspicion that some of the contracts awarded to the Cuspis company were overpaid and on the suspicion of conflict of interest," he said.

USKOK is also investigating the procurement of a radiation apparatus worth HRK 11.2 million, which is also suspected of having been overpaid, Grbin said, calling out PM Andrej Plenković over failure to make the health system functional.

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ZAGREB, 6 April 2022  - Health Minister Vili Beroš on Wednesday opened a renovated operating block at Zagreb's Children's Hospital, noting that it was the first reconstructed hospital block in Zagreb since the 22 March 2020 earthquake, an investment worth HRK 26.2 million (€3.5 million).

"The reconstruction of the hospital block proves the government and ministry's strategy to help in the recovery of health institutions' capacity", the minister said.

The block, which consists of two fully equipped operating rooms, was fully renovated with funds from the 2014-2020 Operational Programme Competitiveness and Cohesion and a Health Ministry budget reallocation of HRK 10.6 million.

"The reopening of the operating rooms and restoring the accommodation capacity of the Children's Hospital is the first significant step in the recovery of the city's medical capacity since the earthquake", hospital director Goran Roić said.

Minister Beroš announced other similar projects in the Zagreb medical system.

As regards efforts to deal with the consequences of the 2020 earthquake, based on a public call by the Health Ministry for the allocation of grants, contracts have been signed so far with 60 institutions, established by the state or the City of Zagreb, worth HRK 2.3 billion.

Of that amount, HRK 850 million comes from the European Solidarity Fund and HRK 1.45 billion from other sources.

(€1 = HRK 7.5)

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ZAGREB, 23 March 2022 - Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Wednesday that the number of new COVID cases had fallen by 17% however, regardless of "a lull in the epidemic," he called on citizens for continued responsible conduct and necessary caution.

"In the past 24 hours there were 2,077 positive cases registered, or 17.53% fewer new cases compared to last Wednesday", Beroš said at a cabinet meeting.

Since the beginning of February, the number of COVID related deaths has decreased significantly and the number of hospitalised patients in that period has halved from 1,400 to less than 700.

"According to the opinion of epidemiologists, they expect milder and milder symptoms in new cases, with fewer deaths and fewer hospitalised patients", said Beroš.

He added that all the relevant epidemiological parameters are constantly being monitored and the epidemiological framework is being adapted accordingly.

"Entering into the third year of the epidemic, even though we in a lull we have to be aware that responsible conduct and caution are a must," underscored Beroš and recalled that there are still many unanswered questions of the possibility of new mutations emerging or of the length of immunity after recovery or vaccination.

2,080 health services provided to Ukrainian refugees

The minister also informed that since 25 February some 2,080 health services had been provided to Ukrainian citizens with 227 receiving hospital services and 15 patients being hospitalised. Thirteen Ukrainians have been diagnosed with the coronavirus infection.

During a meeting of EU health ministers last week, including Croatia, a recommendation was made to the European Commission to ensure funds for health care for refugee Ukrainians and Beroš said that this will also be Croatia's stance at the extraordinary meeting of the Council of the EU on 29 March regarding employment, social policy, health and consumer protection (EPSCO) issues.

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ZAGREB, 20 March 2022 - On the occasion of World Oral Health Day (WOHD), observed on 20 March, Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Sunday that the prevalence of tooth decal among children aged 12 was declining.

|The latest data show that Croatia's Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index has fallen from 4.3 to 2.6, which means that dental caries incidence is on a decline", Beroš said.

Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index has been used since the 1930s, and is today the predominant population-based measure of caries experience worldwide. It is one of the most common methods in oral epidemiology for assessing dental caries prevalence, as well as dental treatment needs among populations.

The improvement is a result of the "Dental Passport" project, which is being conducted by the health ministry, the Croatian Institute of Public Health, the Croatian Health Insurance Agency, the Croatian Dental Chamber and the Croatian Medical Chamber.

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