RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS General Hospital Sarajevo and Tuzla shorten visits, KCUS extends them – how is this possible?

(Patria) - While the Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo (KCUS) is introducing extended visiting hours for patients from 15:00 to 18:00, the General Hospital "Prim. dr. Abdulah Nakaš" in Sarajevo and the University Clinical Center Tuzla are implementing temporary visit restrictions.

The General Director of KCUS, prim. doc. dr. Alen Pilav, explains that the goal of extending visits is to strengthen psychological support for patients, with clearly defined rules that ensure privacy, safety, and the smooth operation of healthcare staff.

Visits are allowed only to persons designated by the patient; on standard care wards, they can last up to 60 minutes, while on intensive care, they are time-limited and approved based on the doctor's assessment.

On the other hand, due to the increased number of patients with respiratory infections, the General Hospital "Prim. dr. Abdulah Nakaš" in Sarajevo is introducing a restriction of one visitor per patient, with a pass and a duration of up to 30 minutes, with mandatory wearing of a protective mask. Similar measures are being introduced by UKC Tuzla, where the rule is also one visitor per patient, up to 30 minutes, with a mask.

Such differences in approach raise the question of how it is possible that in the same city, and even in other major centers, hospitals apply completely different visiting rules? While KCUS emphasizes the importance of support from family and friends, other hospitals focus on epidemiological protection of patients and staff.

Experts warn that the balance between psychological support and infection prevention is extremely difficult, especially during the winter months when the number of respiratory diseases increases. For citizens, this means that the decision to visit a sick family member depends not only on the desire to provide support but also on the rules of the specific hospital where the patient is hospitalized.

Now the question is, to visit or not to visit? In Sarajevo and Tuzla, it depends on which hospital you are in and the current epidemiological situation. Adherence to the rules and instructions of the healthcare staff remains crucial for everyone's safety, and it is unclear why all healthcare institutions do not act uniformly on the advice and recommendations of the Public Health Institute.