Nakaš: Health knows no cantons or nations, I don't remember leptospirosis during the war

(Patria) - Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina must take responsibility for the future of the country and must not allow politicians to lead the country towards renewed conflicts, and the healthcare system needs to be unified to be effective. This was stated in Dnevnik D by Dr. Bakir Nakaš, a prominent humanist, anti-fascist, and member of the SABNOR Main Board – a man for whom humanity is a profession, and Bosnia and Herzegovina Statehood Day is more important than his birthday.

At the beginning of the conversation, he touched upon the leptospirosis epidemic in Sarajevo, stating that, however, one responsibility that previously existed in the healthcare system is somewhat weaker today. Some things that should be under control are being missed.

„I don't remember leptospirosis appearing during the war when there were many situations where we couldn't control hygiene conditions in our environment. Unfortunately, today we are witnessing leptospirosis appearing in a form that is almost epidemic. Fortunately, the cantonal minister decided to issue a decision declaring it an epidemic. It's not just leptospirosis in Sarajevo Canton. There were also a certain number of infected children with measles, a certain number of children with whooping cough,“ he explained.

He adds that the public should have been informed as soon as something was known because, as he says, any delay leads to situations where a much larger number of new cases will appear.

„For this reason, it is important that communication with citizens, with the media, is such that you have the opportunity to be informed about everything that is happening. There are elements that are certainly being covered up for other reasons. Whether these are reasons for politicians and those who rule today to present their results as positive, that there are no negative elements. I think, however, that the passivity that is present and the absence of certain responsibility towards illnesses are a bit more pronounced today than before,“ Nakaš believes.

He also spoke about how dangerous leptospirosis infection is from a professional perspective.

„Considering the previous cases that were present in Bosnia and Herzegovina and all the consequences that followed, the result is that leptospirosis was more related to occupational diseases. These were people who were involved in certain controls in nature, fishermen, hunters, who were exposed in conditions where there was no possibility to prevent the disease. Today, unfortunately, due to a series of cases and negative conditions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, starting with the fact that deratization has not been done, starting with the fact that today we throw away a lot of food and leave it for rats and mice to feed on, we have enabled them to have a much better standard of living today than citizens have in their apartments,“ he explained.

Nakaš also commented on the current political situation in our country, emphasizing that there is a danger that is not at the level it was in 1992 when the question was whether the war would start.

„However, the current situation where politicians lack responsibility for their actions or inaction results in us not knowing what tomorrow will bring. Today we have a normal life, tomorrow we won't. I think a lot is left to chance and circumstances. Things can change overnight, and for that reason, I am not sure that living in Bosnia and Herzegovina is pleasant and comfortable today. Today in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one needs to think about how to spend the day and how to ensure a better future for their family tomorrow,“ Nakaš points out.

When asked how best to defend the country, he said it was time for citizens to take responsibility for the future of BiH.

„Allowing politicians to implement what they are implementing today, I think, is something that can lead us to a situation where we end up no further than where we were in 1992. Today, citizens should show a certain responsibility and call out and urge those who rule today to change. I think it's time in Bosnia and Herzegovina for someone to raise their hand and voice, to tell politicians – you can't do this. They need to be shown that someone should remove them if they are not doing their job. And many of them are not doing their job,“ he is categorical.

We can change a lot – young people should raise their voices, he said.

„Unfortunately, a lot of young people are leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina. They go to Slovenia, Croatia, Germany, other countries, and try to create conditions for a better life there. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, I am not sure if we have enough energy that could lead to a change in the situation,“ Nakaš assessed.

Asked if the West is tacitly giving up on BiH, he says, „The West only cares about how to generate more income and how to ensure that those in power have what others don't.“

„The West is giving up on everything. It's giving up on Palestine, on Ukraine, on Bosnia and Herzegovina,“ he stressed.

He also stated that „if we continue to fight each other, BiH will have no future.“

„Looking at what is happening in the world and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we are witnessing that if we continue like this, we will certainly reach a situation where BiH will not be in the form we wanted it to be. We must do everything to remove those in power if necessary, and bring in those who are more responsible and who will certainly lead to BiH returning to its former state. And today you see that one, another, and a third have some special appetites and special desires related to their personal interests. No one wants to stand up and protect BiH as it was protected by that system, which was Josip Broz Tito and those people who decided then – BiH will be the one and only, like the others, and it will be a republic that will have no differences with other republics. All of this could have happened in the period after 1945. However, someone was aware and responsible enough to say – no. And we can only thank those people for the peaceful life we had from 1945 to 1992,“ he stated.

We don't have the capacity to return BiH to where it was, Nakaš added.

Finally, he commented on the current situation in healthcare. Many say – the healthcare system is on the verge of collapse, doctors and medical staff are leaving, there are not enough specialists.

Nakaš says that we made a mistake by dividing healthcare into cantonal ministries that only see their own interests in their surroundings.

„Unfortunately, today you have a situation where in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, there are completely different foundations that have led to some new healthcare systems. Will society reawaken and ensure that the healthcare system should be unified – because health cannot be divided by one canton, another canton, one nation, another nation, but must be regulated through a relationship that enables patients to live in a way that they are insured and have security. The division that has led to some cantons being at one level of development, where you have surplus hospitals, while other cantons lack even basic health centers, does not lead to good. I think we must bring politicians to the table and tell them what needs to be changed in the healthcare system. What was in the system before 1992 would be much more adequate and logical to happen today,“ Nakaš concluded for Federal Television.