Minister Dubravka Bošnjak for Dnevni avaz: We have opened the path to Eurotransplant — the rest is up to the entities

At the 7th session of the Conference for the Field of Healthcare in Bosnia and Herzegovina, chaired by Dubravka Bošnjak, with the participation of entity health ministers and the head of the Health Department of the Brčko District, a number of outstanding issues in the field of healthcare policy aimed at improving citizens’ lives were discussed. However, no agreement was reached on several key initiatives.

Unjustified Standstill

Why did the entity ministers not support the initiative to draft strategic healthcare documents?

I think it would be best for the ministers who did not support the initiative to answer that question themselves. But briefly, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare of the Republika Srpska stated that there was no agreement for the drafting of such a strategic document, while the reasons given by the Federal Minister of Health remained, honestly speaking, completely unclear to me. I simply believe there was no willingness or readiness.

I am convinced that drafting such a document could contribute to better planning and more efficient use of international funds and financial resources. Considering that such a framework document would not interfere with constitutional competences in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but would instead contain consolidated and harmonized strategic directions of the competent entities, it remains unclear why the entities voted against it.

The legal obstacle for the medical use of cannabis has been removed. Why do patients still not have access to cannabis-based medicines?

It is necessary for the entity ministries of health to amend, that is, adapt their regulations and rulebooks — documents adopted by the respective ministers. In clinical practice in Bosnia and Herzegovina, opioids such as morphine, fentanyl, methadone, ketamine, and similar substances are already being used.

This clearly shows that the healthcare system already has the institutional, professional, and supervisory capacities for the safe and responsible management of therapies that carry increased regulatory risk. Consequently, with clearly defined medical indications, standardized clinical protocols, and a system of oversight and control, there is no substantial obstacle to introducing cannabis into medical use within a controlled and strictly regulated system.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH has completed its part of the work and has no further competencies in this process. We expect the competent authorities to act efficiently and responsibly in the coming period, without further delay, so that this therapy becomes available to those who need it. Further delays in this process can no longer be justified legally, professionally, or, least of all, humanly.

Expectations for Bosnia and Herzegovina

It seems that progress regarding opportunities for organ transplantation also depends on the entities?

The so-called TTA education and training agreement that Bosnia and Herzegovina received from Eurotransplant at the end of 2025 was forwarded without delay to the entity ministries for further action. In doing so, the Ministry of Civil Affairs completed its part of the work, and further activities are now the responsibility of the competent entity-level authorities.

The signing of such agreements would enable direct cooperation between transplant centers and healthcare institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and centers in Eurotransplant member states, including the exchange of knowledge and best practices, though within a limited capacity and organ exchange framework.

In other words, the TTA opens the possibility for Bosnia and Herzegovina, on a limited scale, to be included in the Eurotransplant organ exchange system while simultaneously fulfilling all prerequisites for full membership.

At this stage, Eurotransplant also expects us to report on the use of the offered TTA mechanism — specifically, which transplant centers in Bosnia and Herzegovina wish to establish cooperation with transplant centers in Eurotransplant member countries, a process which ultimately also requires Eurotransplant’s approval. They want to see what our plans are in this regard, but this part of the work now lies with the entities.