ZAGREB, April 8, 2018 – As part of an event marking World Health Day in downtown Zagreb on Saturday, Croatians had their blood tested for free and talked to doctors and experts about prevention programmes, treatment and ways of improving health.
This year’s World Health Day is dedicated to universal healthcare, which, it was said, means that everyone everywhere is entitled to basic healthcare.
Health Minister Milan Kujundžić, who attended the event, said that the incidence of cardiovascular and malignant diseases in Croatia was high but that in that regard Croatians were no different from other nations in this part of Europe.
He underlined that, in terms of access to healthcare, Croatia had very high standards. “In terms of access to healthcare, Croatia is among the better-ranked countries in the world. What we must be realistic about is that a solidarity-based healthcare system means generally available care, but within the limits of what is possible. That means that we are not ideal,” said Kujundžić.
The head of the Croatian Public Health Institute (HZJZ), Krešimir Capak, said that the most frequent diseases were chronic non-infectious diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. “We plan to step up work on prevention programmes because those diseases can be prevented by a change in lifestyle and early diagnosis,” said Capak.
Speaking of a recent incident with water pollution in Slavonski Brod, into which an investigation has been launched to determine the cause, Kujundžić said that the health of local residents was not at risk and that water in the town water supply system would probably be declared safe to drink on Monday.
The opposition Živi Zid party said today that next week it would ask that a parliamentary commission of inquiry be formed to determine how water and soil in this eastern town had been polluted, and that it would request a session of the parliamentary committee on environmental protection to deal with the issue.
Human Shield leader Ivan Vilibor Sinčić said that a dozen laws and a number of regulations had been violated in this case, calling for establishing the political and legal responsibility, primarily of Environmental Protection Minister Tomislav Ćorić and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.
