Health Ministry to provide GPs will more funding

On the occasion of World Health Day, the Croatian Health Ministry presented a new package of measures aimed at improving primary healthcare by providing primary care providers with more funds from the Croatian Health Insurance Fund.

According to the proposed deal family doctors, pediatricians, gynecologists and dentists would receive up to 18% more funding from the Croatian Health Insurance Fund as of this June. Health Minister Irena Hrstić: "At the primary health care level every general practitioner, pediatrician or gynecologist is allotted annual funding, and with this proposal we will raise that amount, on average fifteen percent higher than the existing amount."

The proposal was welcomed by the Director of the Croatian Health Insurance Institute, Dr. Zvonimir Ante Korda: "We haven't always agreed on everything, but I think that we have come to an agreement that is sustainable and stimulative, and by this I mean stimulative both for existing doctors but also for our future colleagues who are yet to decide on which branch of health care they want to pursue."

In related news, a public health campaign was organized in cities throughout the country at which citizens were able to undergo a free preventive examination. The campaign was held on the occasion of World Health Day. According to the available data more than twenty thousand people died of cardiovascular diseases in Croatian last year alone. The director of the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ), Dr. Krunoslav Capak: "In addition to our existing early detection programs for breast, colon and cervical cancer, which are now in the pilot phase in Virovitica-Podravina County with a new methodology and management, we have also created a pilot project for the early detection of prostate cancer."

"We must remember that more than twenty thousand people died from cardiovascular diseases last year. This remains the leading public health problem in modern countries, including Croatia. So, this is an ideal opportunity to conduct a quick health assessment," added Dr. Goran Krstačić from the Srčana Polyclinic in Zagreb.

Source: HRT