The Director of the Zenica Cantonal Hospital Prof. Dr. ScD. PhD Rasim Skomorac and representatives of the Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) and the Centres for Civic Initiatives (CCI) have today at the premises of the Zenica Cantonal Hospital signed the Memorandum of Cooperation as part of the EU funded project “Cure the Health Care”.
“The fight against corruption requires transparency, coordination and communication as well as cooperation on the part of all parties involved“, was exemplified today by the Cantonal Hospital. The Zenica Cantonal Hospital has shown earlier its willingness to curb corruption and to do all it takes to minimise the risk of corruption at this health institution. An Anti-Corruption Team has, among other things, been formed within the hospital and procedures have been launched to disclose patient wait lists. By cooperating with civil society organisations, the Cantonal Hospital has confirmed its commitment to work to prevent corruption by accepting the solutions offered, including use of modern tools and innovative software solutions. The cooperation aims to contribute to a faster and better realisation of the anticorruption activities, and to serve as an example of good practices to be copied to other health care institutions in the country.
“In addition to the European Union’s substantial support to anti-corruption efforts in general, it is extremely important, if not critical, to engage competent institutions. Only united can we confront corruption and its forms, especially in the health care, to provide that all citizens have equal treatment and equal level of health care service. To demonstrate that it is possible to improve significantly the situation in certain health care institutions and in the health care sector, in general, it is necessary to ensure joint action in the fight against corruption. Through the project “Cure the Health Care“, TI BIH and CCI will establish cooperation with 15 health care institutions in BiH and in the next two years, they will work to improve internal acts to prevent corruption. The Zenica Cantonal Hospital is the first of the 15 anticipated health institutions to sign the Memorandum of Cooperation”, said Emsad Dizdarević, TI BIH Project Manager.
The signatories have among other things pledged to work together to improve the exercise of patients’ right to receive relevant information, particularly with regards to waiting lists for the most significant medical examinations and interventions.
“A special attention will be given to the introduction of transparent wait lists, which will be illustrated on a model of one institution, specifically the Zenica Cantonal Hospital. The goal is to show good practices – when citizens have a full insight in the scheduled examinations and surgeries, which reduces the chance of corruption and prevents from “queue jumping” when scheduling the appointments. Transparent electronic wait lists will also be introduced for examinations and surgeries with the longest wait time. This positive example will be proposed to other health care institutions. The Zenica Cantonal Hospital will be provided with an appropriate programme solution compatible with the hospital’s currently used software to disclose patient wait lists for the most significant medical examinations and interventions”, said CCI Project Manager Asmir Ćilimković.
