Dr. Joško Kalilić is the author of the project of heliport in Split-Dalmatian County, which raised the health care standard of those living far from the hospital to a higher level. A Gynecologist, who has spent most of his career in the United States, now suggests a boat clinic for 130.000 people on the 60 inhabited islands, informs the Croatian National Television. Namely, people from Lastovo and Vis have to travel for hours to the nearest hospital and there are only a few ferries off-season connecting the islands with the mainland.
A fully equipped, 35-meters long ship should have a heliport as well, and should be able to visit all islands within a month. The project would cost 20 million Kuna and the member of the Board of Brodosplit Teuta Duletić says, that the complete project would already be established. The ship could be built in a year and a half.
The director of the Health Centre of Split-Dalmatia County, Dr. Dragomir Petric is cautious. He points out, that there are existing ambulances, closed for decades, that could be used and that, there are no doctors, who would work on the ship.
The author of the idea, Dr. Kalilić says however, that the money for the construction and equipment of the ship-clinic should not be a problem. He proposes financing from the money that the Ministry pays as travel costs of patients and he even got the support from the European Investment Bank.
