Appeals from the BiH Medicines Agency: If the BiH Council of Ministers is functioning, let it approve hiring

SARAJevo, (Patria) - The president of the Trade Union of the BiH Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices, Ramo Rustemović, has been warning for a long time about the unfavorable position of the Agency's employees, low salaries, and staff shortages, considering the scope and importance of the work they perform. This concern has increased with the adoption of the Law on Medicines and Medical Devices of Republika Srpska in the National Assembly of Republika Srpska at the end of October, which envisages the establishment of an entity agency for medicines, thereby directly undermining the state institution. Even the visit of High Representative Christian Schmidt to the Agency's headquarters in Banja Luka did not bring peace to the employees.

"How long will the BiH Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices wait for someone in power in this country to take pity or, God forbid, directly address the lifting of imposed blockades and the adopted act on the formation of the entity Agency for Medicines.

The Council of Ministers seems to be functioning; where are the requests on the agenda for filling vacant positions, key positions of experts in the field of drug control, and head positions in the laboratory sectors. Has politics perhaps reconciled itself with its inability to prevent the BiH Agency for Medicines, slowly but surely, from fading away from its jurisdiction, protection, preservation, and improvement of the health of all residents in BiH. I fear that chronic inaction gives grounds to seriously move in that direction, after so many accumulated problems, which have not been resolved for years or, better said, are intentionally produced," says Rustemović.

He says that the BiH Agency for Medicines cannot be treated as an administrative-bureaucratic institution; by its nature and jurisdiction, it is a highly sophisticated professional institution, a medical health activity.

"The High Representative visits us, listens, gets acquainted with the problems, and everything ends with a cordial conversation. I fear that everyone admires us, but there is no concrete help in sight. Urgent action must be taken here, the BiH Agency for Medicines must be moved away from these blockades, allowed to function normally, so that the health of BiH residents is not endangered," concludes Rustemović.