Canton Sarajevo Assembly rejects reports of six healthcare institutions: Most criticism directed at the Sarajevo Canton Health Centre, Baltić's dismissal to follow

(Patria) - Following a heated debate among deputies, the Sarajevo Canton Assembly voted on the reports on the work and financial operations of public healthcare institutions in the Canton.

Thus, the following were adopted: the Report on the work and financial operations of the Public Institution Institute for Emergency Medical Aid of Sarajevo Canton, led by Prim. Dr. Silva Rizvanbegović, for 2022; the Report on the work and financial operations of the Public Institution Institute for Occupational Medicine of Sarajevo Canton for 2022; the Report on the work and financial operations of the Public Institution Institute for Addiction Diseases of Sarajevo Canton for 2022; the Report on the work and financial operations of the Public Institution Institute for Health Protection of Women and Motherhood of Sarajevo Canton for 2022; the Report on the work and financial operations of the Public Institution Psychiatric Hospital of Sarajevo Canton for 2022; the Report on the work and financial operations of the Public Institution "Apoteke Sarajevo" for 2022; and the Report on the work and financial operations of the Public Institution General Hospital "Prim. dr. Abdulah Nakaš" for 2022.

The following were not adopted: the Report on the work and financial operations of the Public Institution Institute for Health Protection of Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Sarajevo Canton for 2022; the Report on the work and financial operations of the Public Institution Institute for Public Health of Sarajevo Canton for 2022; the Report on the work and financial operations of the Clinical Centre of the University of Sarajevo for 2022; the Report on the work and financial operations of the Public Institution of Sarajevo Canton Institute for Health Protection of Students of the University of Sarajevo for 2022; the Report on the work and financial operations of the Public Institution Health Centre of Sarajevo Canton for 2022; and the Report on the work and financial operations of the Public Institution Institute for Sports Medicine of Sarajevo Canton for 2022.

Regarding the work of the Sarajevo Canton Health Centre, only one deputy voted for the report, and numerous criticisms were directed at the work of this institution and its director, Abel Baltić, who is a member of the SDP. Even this party is aware that Baltić has not lived up to expectations nor improved the work of the health centres, and he is additionally burdened by reports and investigations.

Deputy of the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Muamer Bandić, particularly emphasised that investigations are ongoing regarding the operations of the Sarajevo Canton Health Centre and that court orders have been issued for the seizure of documentation. Furthermore, Director Baltić personally chose the company that would use advertising billboards in the health centres, while the previous contract was more favourable for the Health Centre, and certain hirings are also disputed, as previously reported by the media.

It was also pointed out that a number of irregularities were observed during an inspection conducted at the Public Institution Health Centre. The general assessment is that Director Baltić has not improved the work of the Health Centre, which he has headed since 2021.

Given that the report on the work for 2022 did not receive support, the dismissal of both the Management Board and the director of the Public Institution Health Centre of Sarajevo Canton will soon follow.

The Minister of Health of Sarajevo Canton, Enis Hasanović, is obliged to propose to the Government of Sarajevo Canton the dismissal of members of the Management Boards of healthcare institutions that did not receive support and to appoint new ones, who will then initiate the dismissal of the directors of the healthcare institutions.

The poor state of the Public Institution Health Centre was also warned about by the Union, particularly regarding the uniforms purchased during Baltić's mandate, for which about 500,000 KM was spent, and which employees do not even use because they are non-functional.