Representatives spend hours debating street names, but are not interested in the health of Sarajevo's population

By: Amra Vrabac

At yesterday's continuation of the KS Assembly session, the Study on the Health Status of the Population, determinants of health and healthcare in Sarajevo Canton in 2020, with the Opinion of the Ministry of Health and proposals for measures to improve the health status of the population in Sarajevo Canton, was adopted.

However, although this is a comprehensive document prepared by the KS Public Health Institute, the KS Assembly did not even allow introductory remarks from the KS Minister of Health, Haris Vranić, who approached the podium with papers but had to return to his seat. 

It sounds incredible that not a single representative asked to speak for discussion and debate, even though this is a very significant document that dissects the health status of the KS population, the most common causes of mortality and diseases, the increase in the number of diabetes patients, and also warns about the insufficient number of doctors who will replace those retiring.

Although I believe that the representatives have read the study (they should know what they voted for), the absence of any discussion and consideration of very important segments in this study is surprising. Especially considering that the past year was a year of pandemic, a scourge that the whole world is fighting.

And while representatives often refer to citizens, yesterday it was shown that the real problems of those same citizens do not interest them. Thus, they are not interested and have no idea how to improve the demographic picture of the KS population, where the number of residents over 65 is greater than the number of those aged 0 to 14, and there has been a five-year decline in newborn children in KS.

The study, which was adopted last night, particularly emphasizes the approach to the elderly population in their third age. However, it seems that even this is not enough to make the representatives ask to speak. As if they will never grow old. 

“The proportion of the elderly population is continuously increasing in Sarajevo Canton, which requires defining strategic directions for improving the position of older persons in Sarajevo Canton, with particular emphasis on healthcare for the elderly and the promotion of healthy aging”, is part of the Study.

Although it is equally important to discuss the quality of water, the environment, public transport, and even public lighting or street names, all of which are problems faced by citizens, there is no other explanation than the representatives' lack of interest in discussing the population's health with equal attention.

The study paid special attention to the causes of respiratory tract infections, which are very common among the citizens of Sarajevo Canton, and to air pollution, which is one of the causes of these infections.

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You can read the entire study here