ANNUAL REPORT ON THE RESULTS OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE INSTITUTION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
vulnerable categories of insured persons, but effective control of spending. 431 The Ministry of
Health, Labor and Social Welfare of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton will request the Government of
Herzegovina-Neretva Canton to amend the List of Orthopedic and Other Aids in this Part, as we
cannot allow the already low standard of living of this population to be further compromised.
However, the same problem exists in the Canton of Zenica-Doboj, in which, by amending the
Decision on the scope of the right to use orthopedic and other aids, dental-prosthetic care and
dental-prosthetic substitutes, a certain circle of patients was derived from the rights they had
regularly exercised.
Example: An complaint was submitted to the Institution 432, indicating the inability to exercise the
right to an orthopedic device - diapers for adults of an elderly age with organic personality disorder
and behavioral disorder, caused by illness, damage and dysfunction of the brain, which according
to the Findings and Opinion of a specialist of the Public Institution Health Center Zenica urinates
and defecates without control of the sphincters.
Despite the fact that the specialist made a recommendation for the provision of diapers and that
the complainant freely used the right to orthopedic supplies - diapers, at the time of the Opinion
of the Commission for consideration of the request, the complainant was not granted this right
because it did not meet the requirements of the Decision on the scope of the right to use orthopedic
and other aids, dental prosthetics and dental prosthetics 433. Examination of the aforementioned
Decision has established that the circle of persons is significantly narrowed and that persons of
older age, regardless of the cause of incontinence, cannot exercise this right unless they suffer from
the aforementioned diseases. The research process is ongoing and the Ombudsmen will make a
final decision in the coming period.
On the other hand, according to the complaints submitted, there is a problem with the quality of
adult diapers in the Republika Srpska.
Example: Organizations of persons with disabilities of the City of Doboj in a complaint submitted
to the Institution 434 express their dissatisfaction with the quality of the diapers selected through the
procurement procedure of the Republika Srpska Health Insurance Fund, stating that the diapers
are of poor quality, permeability is one drop, instead of six drops that had diapers they used earlier,
and as such do not serve their purpose. They are also said to be entitled to only one type of diaper,
with no choice but forced to use poor-quality diapers. The research process is ongoing and the
Ombudsmen will make a final decision in the coming period
We take this opportunity to highlight the fact that discrimination against the elderly is widespread
in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as prejudices that stem from the assumption that age
discrimination and neglect of the elderly is a social norm and is therefore acceptable. At the same
time, age discrimination limits the potential of older persons and affects their health and well431
Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Welfare of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Act No. 06-02-39-336/l9 of 07
February 2019.
432
Ž-SA-04-1277/19
433
Official Gazette of Zenica-Doboj Canton, No. 10/2018.
434
Ž-BL-02-241/19
105
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