Ensuring quality primary healthcare, strengthening the cadre of nurses and technicians, preventing noncommunicable diseases, and promoting a healthier lifestyle are just some of the segments in the focus of Switzerland‘s support to the development of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). They are the largest bilateral donors in healthcare and have been successfully cooperating for over 20 years with the entity ministries of health and the Government of the Brcko District.
Investing in the healthcare system is investing in the development of the country, and this has been recognized by the Government of Switzerland, which has been supporting this sector in BiH for several decades. Currently through four major projects, which include care for the elderly, strengthening nursing, prevention of noncommunicable diseases, and promotion of healthy lifestyles, as well as the necessary reforms that BiH must implement in this sector. Each of these segments is equally important for healthcare, say professionals who are in daily contact with patients.
“We have to look at the patient as a whole if we want to have a good and quality outcome because we are here because of the patient,” said Nihada Kulovac, head nurse at the Health Center Vogosca.
“I personally had situations where they waited for me in the morning during a home visit to come and drink coffee together, to talk. There were even situations where I saw it was cold, so I lit the fire, brought in firewood, and so on in various situations. You are not just a nurse/technician, you also do other jobs,” says Mirza Hodzic, an employee at the Public Health Institution Health Center Brcko.
Mirza has more than 30 years of experience in healthcare and emphasizes the importance of investing in visiting nursing care, which is increasingly in demand due to demographic changes in society – on one side the population is aging, and we are also witnessing the migration of young people. Prevention and promotion of a healthy lifestyle is also an important segment covered by healthcare workers.
“It is very important that we have quality nurses who can provide mentorship to young colleagues in our institution, to provide support in the secondary school center for healthcare profession and subjects. Then we work on health promotion and disease prevention, both for our patients in our local community and in schools, and kindergartens. We believe this is very important because with preventive check-ups we save resources and take care of the economy as well,” explains Jasna Rodic, a nurse at the Health Center Kostajnica.
And it is very important to invest in improving the continuous education of nurses/technicians, working conditions, and community nursing services, considering the important role they play in healthcare.
“We are in a time where we need to create preconditions for strengthening a strong healthcare system and also allow the nurse to grow and develop to use her professional potential in the full sense, not only for the benefit of patients but also for the entire social community,” emphasizes Mirjana Dzajic, head nurse at the Health Center Ljubuski.
All these key segments in healthcare are supported by the Swiss embassy through projects.
“And another project we are implementing together in cooperation with the World Bank is a project focused on reforms in the healthcare sector in BiH and their improvement with a focus on primary healthcare,” emphasizes Alma Zukorlic, health program manager at the Swiss Embassy.
And these reforms are already visible now through the declaration signed by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH, the entity ministries of health, and the Brcko District, committing to a long-term dedication to nursing reforms.
Switzerland provides systemic and long-term support for the improvement of primary healthcare and shares its knowledge and experience, such as the Swiss model of nurses working in the community or the home care model.
“When it comes to nursing and healthcare, which always follow and help us, I have to thank them publicly,” stated Nediljko Rimac, Federal Minister of Health (HDZ BiH).
“For many years supporting projects in healthcare but primarily projects related to public health itself. I think the value of everything we have done is manifold and that value is felt by those who took part in the project. But through them, indirectly, also the citizens to whom the services and activities that these projects cover apply,” said Alen Seranic (SNSD), Minister of Health and Social Protection of Republika Srpska (RS).
Because the goal is precisely to put the focus on the patient, that is, the citizens of this country, they say from the Swiss Embassy. Which, they say, was also the first reason why they decided to invest precisely in this sector.
“For Switzerland, health has somehow always been at the center of its priorities because for a country to be successful, you must have a healthy population – that is the first reason why we focus on this topic. The second is that, as I already mentioned, there are certain similarities between the healthcare systems of our two countries, the third thing is that we have very good partners,” says Gabriele Derighetti, Ambassador of Switzerland to BiH.
And the fourth is also a personal connection that the ambassador has with this profession.
“Especially when it comes to this project, I have this personal note, and that is that I grew up in a family of nurses. My grandmother was one of the first nurses perhaps in Switzerland. My two uncles, my sister who is a very good nurse. So I grew up in the center of that profession and because of that I am especially glad to be participating in this project in some way,” adds Derighetti.
And, therefore, he knows very well what the value of this vocation is and how significant the role of nurses and technicians is in the life of a patient.
“Every day of a nurse or technician is very challenging – you don‘t know what awaits you. They say life begins with a nurse, and most often ends with one too,” said Mirjana Jankovic, senior professional associate for nursing at the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of RS.
The ultimate goal of all these reforms is alignment with European standards on BiH‘s path to European integration. The partnership between BiH and Switzerland is precisely based on these standards.
