The loss of a child during pregnancy or after birth is a cause of great sorrow for the family. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, such cases are increasing, and frequent news reports emphasize the importance of proper care for pregnant women. A heartbreaking story from Brčko.
Four years ago, Nikola Vidaković and his wife experienced the loss of their baby, seven days before the due date. The cause – thrombophilia, a condition that led to a lack of oxygen for the child.
The only word from the doctor was that the main artery was blocked, and that oxygen to the child was stopped. No tests were done, nothing was done, there was no pathologist, no one. I did not receive the pathologist’s report.
NIKOLA VIDAKOVIĆ
After sending a series of letters to the relevant department of the Brčko District Government, he also submitted a request for an extraordinary professional review, which he waited for a year and a half. He is fighting for pregnant women in Brčko's Gynecology Department to receive better conditions.
I want a thrombophilia test to be introduced for first-time mothers, to reduce the infant mortality rate as much as possible, by two percent, and to renovate the dispensary. What is happening there is really terrible.
NIKOLA VIDAKOVIĆ
We investigated the practices in other BH cities. In neighboring Bijeljina, they state that countries with more developed health systems have found ways to reduce infant mortality rates, which serves as an example for them.
Anything that helps and does not harm the future parent, the future mother, or the child to be conceived, or already conceived, anything that helps and does not harm them, I absolutely support.
PRIM. DR. DARKO MARKOVIĆ, SPECIALIST IN GYNECOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS
Thrombophilia is not a disease but a condition that can cause problems in certain situations, especially during pregnancy. Preventive measures are crucial.
The point of the whole story is to detect it in time, and if detected, there is excellent therapy. There is anticoagulant therapy under the control of a hematologist.
PRIM. DR. DARKO MARKOVIĆ, SPECIALIST IN GYNECOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS
In Brčko's health system, a hematologist has only been engaged since last year, coming only on weekends from another city. All local Assembly representatives were informed about the “Vidaković” case to provide more information to the public. However, government representatives were not responsive to this issue.
We received it and felt an obligation to propose that such a point be included as information on the Assembly's agenda. The entire opposition voted to include his point, but, unfortunately, other colleagues did not support it.
MILIJANA SIMIĆ, REPRESENTATIVE OF SP IN THE ASSEMBLY OF BRČKO DISTRICT BIH
For most inquiries about this case and the extraordinary professional review at the Brčko Health Center, sent to all relevant institutions, we did not receive responses. Only a brief reply by email from the Assembly’s Health Commission.
We have not been informed about the implementation of an extraordinary professional review at the Brčko Health Center, about its implementation method, or its results, at any time during the current mandate.
DR. BORISLAV ĐULABIĆ, CHAIRMAN OF THE ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMISSION (HDZBIH)
Informed or not, it is evident that most are avoiding answering these difficult questions. How many more such or similar cases are there in healthcare? Will anyone take responsibility for solving the problem? Many questions, but no answers. At least for now.
