Who does the KCUS Union protect, doctors or directors?

The Union of Employees of the University Clinical Center Sarajevo announced today that the statements of certain employees of the Clinic for Orthopedics and Traumatology aim to damage the reputation of KCUS.

“Unfortunately, the doctors who have publicly expressed their views in recent days about the endangerment and mobbing of employees of the Clinic for Orthopedics and Traumatology KCUS, have never approached the Employees' Union to possibly warn about a problem. It is our obligation as a Union to react if we receive a written complaint from an employee who believes that their labor rights have been violated in any way,” the statement reads.

“A large number of employees have approached the members of the Presidency of the KCUS Union asking us to protect them from these doctors and certain media outlets, who are attacking KCUS and thus undermining the dignity of the largest and oldest healthcare institution in BiH,” it is stated, among other things, in the continuation of the statement signed by the president of this Union, Dženana Hrustemović.

The Union's statement refers to the case of Dr. Ismet Gavrankapetanović, who was dismissed from the position of Head of the Clinic for Orthopedics and Traumatology by the KCUS management, led by Dr. Sebija Izetbegović, at the beginning of August, which caused sharp reactions from orthopedists from BiH and Europe.

As many as 14 out of 18 doctors from the Clinic for Orthopedics and Traumatology KCUS requested the return of Dr. Gavrankapetanović to the head of the Clinic. The management did not honor their request. Instead of Dr. Gavrankapetanović, Dr. Đemil Omerović was appointed to head Sarajevo orthopedics.

The Union called the numerous reactions from the country and Europe to the dismissal of Dr. Gavrankapetanović as pressure on KCUS.

Who is behind the KCUS Union, which has stood up to protect the KCUS management and director Izetbegović?

Dženana Hrustemović, a long-time nurse, was appointed head of the KCUS Union in June 2016, after Dr. Suad Rožajac was dismissed from that position. Raho Spahović, Emir Avdić, Admira Bajrović, Alen Pojata, Ifeta Bukva, and Selim Halugić were elected as new members of the Union Presidency.

Neurosurgeon Prof. Dr. Kemal Dizdarević previously told the Patria agency that the union president Hrustemović is acting as a spokesperson for the management, instead of protecting the doctors.

Dizdarević accused in January this year that Hrustemović was “installed” in the Union position precisely by director Izetbegović.