Associations of the Most Severely Ill Appeal to Cantons: Immediately Secure Funds for the Solidarity Fund

(Patria) - It is necessary to secure as soon as possible the legally prescribed funds for the Solidarity Fund in order to eliminate waiting lists for the most severely ill patients in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This was stated at today's press conference in Sarajevo by representatives of the Association of Persons Suffering from Breast Cancer and Other Malignant Diseases "Renesansa", the Association of Melanoma Patients of the FBiH, the Association of Persons Suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis and Other Rheumatic Diseases "Snaga u BiH", and the Association of Prostate Cancer Patients of the FBiH.

They recalled that the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, through the budget rebalance for 2023, allocated an additional 10 million KM for the Solidarity Fund and adopted a conclusion calling on cantonal governments and health insurance funds that have shown a surplus to join its efforts in solving the problem of treating the most severely ill patients in the FBiH and to secure part of the funds needed for their treatment by the end of the year.

- In line with this, we call on the cantonal level of government to respect the conclusion of the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and immediately begin implementing that conclusion.

Namely, thanks to the fact that we were persistent and steadfast in our intentions and did not give up, we raised awareness of the problem of the functioning of the Solidarity Fund and waiting lists.

We asked the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to secure 70 million KM because that is the amount of money needed to provide therapy and health services for 1,700 patients in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina who, as of September 30, are on waiting lists.

These are patients suffering from the most severe malignant diseases, multiple sclerosis, and other serious illnesses.

We fought for 10 million KM, and the remaining 60 million should be provided by the cantons - emphasized the representatives of the associations that gather patients who are users of the services of the Solidarity Fund of the FBiH.

They emphasize that the authorities in the FBiH, both legislative, executive, and judicial, must implement the law, given that it is precisely the violation of the law that has resulted in waiting lists for the most severely ill patients, bearing in mind that the Government of the FBiH, in the previous 21 years since the Solidarity Fund of the FBiH has existed, has never allocated the legally prescribed amount of funds for its operation.

This means that due to the lack of money in the Solidarity Fund of the FBiH, the most severely ill patients do not have the possibility of treatment - therapies, medications, as well as specific medical services are not available to them.

- We, the patients, will not accept this fact. This problem has been ongoing for 21 years, but this year it has escalated.

For patients, every minute, every hour, and every day is of vital importance, and they have already lost precious time on waiting lists waiting for the start of treatment.

The situation is extremely dramatic, and therefore we demand that this problem be systematically resolved.

There is no room for waiting and delaying solutions for patients, and the entire process requires urgency - said the representatives of the associations.

Finally, they added that their legal team is preparing criminal charges against all those responsible over the past 21 years.