Transfer of General Hospital doctors to UKCS halted for now, citizens bring letters of support

Citizens who oppose the closure of the General Hospital have gathered in front of the Prim.dr. Abdulah Nakaš General Hospital building, placing letters of support for the employees into a box located in front of the hospital. Additionally, those gathered called on the hospital's doctors not to transfer to UKCS, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria. They will be on duty for the General Hospital every day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The latest developments regarding the merger of the General Hospital and UKCS have sparked a wave of public discontent, and numerous public figures have raised their voices against the closure of the hospital and its conversion into office space for the needs of the FBiH Government.

As the Patria agency learns from sources at the General Hospital, no doctor transferred to UKCS today, and according to information, patients are receiving full service.

The General Hospital issued a statement:

- The acting director of the General Hospital "Prim.dr. Abdulah Nakaš" Sarajevo, prim. dr. Sead Bašić, stated in a press release sent to the media on Monday, January 11, 2016, that this healthcare institution is functioning normally.

We recall that the General Hospital's Board of Directors on January 7 dismissed director Sebija Izetbegović at her personal request, and appointed Sead Bašić, an orthopedics specialist, as acting director. Izetbegović was appointed director of UKCS, and her desire was for the General Hospital to be merged with UKCS, which she had announced on more than one occasion at the Collegium. Also, on January 7, doctors at the General Hospital were given a mutual request for transfer to UKCS, which was prepared on January 6, with the start date of work at UKCS being January 11. Although the competent authorities remain silent and have not commented on this case, it is now clear that the entire process has been halted.

Dr. Dragan Stevanović, president of the Board of the Medical Chamber of the Sarajevo Canton, said in a statement to Patria that they have not submitted a request to the Sarajevo Canton Attorney's Office regarding the protection of the General Hospital's property.

- The Medical Chamber insists on a legal, comprehensive reform of healthcare, but with adequate analyses that will be subject to criticism by the professional public, and then the authorities should adopt them and make a lawful decision - said Stevanović.