Government Approves Hiring of 46 Employees for KS Health Center

(Patria) - To strengthen staff capacity and improve services for citizens in primary healthcare, the Sarajevo Canton Government today approved the Public Institution Health Center KS to hire an additional 46 employees on a permanent basis. Of this number, it is planned to hire 21 doctors of medicine, 21 nurses/technicians, one professional associate for occupational safety from the group of technical/medical and natural sciences, and three technical secretaries for the organizational unit.

With the latest hirings, as emphasized, the requirements for optimal staffing of missing personnel in the Public Institution Health Center will be met, according to prescribed standards and norms. The management of the institution is expected to ensure better healthcare services for citizens through responsible work and good organization in the coming period.

As stated, in the last 15 months, the acts of the KS Government have approved the employment of a total of 318 employees in this healthcare institution, for indefinite and fixed terms.

According to the Minister of Health of KS, Haris Vranić, the hiring of healthcare staff in this institution has been intensified since 2021, as have investments in the procurement of missing equipment, all to provide citizens with the service they deserve.

"A total of 1,150,000 KM has been allocated for the procurement of equipment, and 600,000 KM for the Project of construction, reconstruction, and renovation of the facilities of this institution. In addition, for the procurement of X-ray equipment from the Federation of BiH transfers, funds in the amount of 405,171 KM have been secured. From these funds, digital detectors, a digital X-ray machine, a diagnostic medical monitor, and much other valuable equipment have been purchased to improve healthcare services for patients. During the pandemic, the problem of the lack of a cold chain for storing COVID-19 vaccines was resolved, a special vehicle for these needs was procured, and the issue of a cold room in Sarajevo Canton was also resolved. During that period, the Ministry approved the hiring of 115 healthcare workers on a permanent basis and another 155 on a fixed-term basis at the KS Health Center," the minister reminded.

According to the data he presented, in the last three years, the hiring of 142 doctors of medicine, pediatric specialists, pulmonologists, internists, and other necessary staff has been approved. In the same period, the hiring of 81 nurses/technicians was approved. Contracts for speech therapists and special educators were extended to ensure continuous care for children with developmental disabilities, and at the end of the year, their status was finally resolved, and the Ministry approved the hiring of 14 speech therapists on a permanent basis. The hiring of other medical and non-medical staff in this institution has also been approved.

He also announced that the Ministry of Health will continue to approve hirings in all healthcare institutions in KS, according to their expressed needs.

"We are persistent in our intention to restore the healthcare system to the state our citizens deserve. In 2023, the Ministry of Health has planned funds in the Budget in the amount of 1,000,000 KM for the Vehicle Fleet Renovation Project, for the purpose of accessibility and efficiency of healthcare services of the Public Institution Health Center KS, which particularly relates to the development of the home care service, given that a large number of complaints from our citizens have related precisely to that part of healthcare," announced Minister Vranić.

In order to systematically address the issue of hiring missing staff, the Government today also accepted the initiative of Minister Vranić to amend the Decree on the Procedure for Hiring in the Public Sector in the Territory of Sarajevo Canton. The amendments to this decree would enable healthcare workers who have concluded fixed-term employment contracts with a public healthcare institution for the purpose of completing their specialization training for the needs of that institution, which are fully financed by the KS Health Insurance Fund, and who, after completing their specialization, pass the specialization exam, to be hired on a permanent basis in that healthcare institution, without additional approval and without conducting a public advertisement for hiring.

On this occasion, the Government tasked the Ministry of Labor, Social Policy, Displaced Persons, and Refugees of KS to prepare a Proposal for the amendment of the aforementioned Decree, and to submit it to the KS Government for consideration and adoption as soon as possible.