JemsAs part of the Interreg VI-A IPA Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro program, the two-year RACE 2 project has started, which is jointly implemented by the Health Center Mostar, as a leading partner, the Institute for Emergency Medical Care of Montenegro and the Institute for Urgent Medicine of Zagreb County. The kick-off conference of the RACE 2 project was held on 26 September 2024 in Jastrebarsko.
The main goal of the RACE 2 project is to improve the emergency medical service by standardizing and digitizing the ambulance process, training employees, purchasing new vehicles and equipment, as well as preventing cardiovascular diseases in the partner regions. Two years ago, the same project partners successfully implemented the RACE – Race for Life project, and this is now its continuation.
– The project enables the exchange of experience with our partners and the spread of knowledge, so that we can learn from each other, that is exchange good practice and warn against bad practice – said Kristina Bevanda, Director of the Health Center Mostar.
During the implementation of the project, this health institution will completely reconstruct the existing emergency rooms and upgrade the education center.
– We will continue with the education of the population and acquire EKG devices and automatic external defibrillators – said Bevanda.
Aleksandra Vlahović, on behalf of the Institute for Emergency Medical Care of Montenegro, said that the benefit of this project is the introduction of practices that did not exist in Montenegro, such as telemedicine and the use of the Norwegian index of emergency patient care.
– As one of the measures to reduce cardiovascular diseases, we are waiting for the purchase of a device for measuring cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. Furthermore, we will acquire two reanimobiles with complete equipment, educate non-medical staff, acquire more AVD devices and connect them to the telemedicine system – said Vlahović.
As part of the project, the Institute for Urgent Medicine of Zagreb County (ZHM) will receive three new ambulances, and all existing vehicles will be equipped with computers and portable printers. The institute will also receive two portable laboratory devices for measuring lipids and will organize nine public health actions aimed at preventing cardiovascular diseases. They will upgrade their IT system with a new server and additionally educate the medical staff to take care of polytraumatized patients.
– We will transfer our knowledge and experience to our partners in terms of standardization of emergency medical assistance services – said Davorin Gajnik, Director of the Institute for Urgent Medicine of Zagreb County.
The employees of this Institute, according to the manual of the Croatian Institute for Emergency Medicine, will educate and train 12 future dispatchers in the Health Center Mostar and the Institute for Emergency Medical Care of Montenegro.
Ksenija Čuljak, Head of the Health Department, social welfare and Croatian veterans, attended the initial conference of the project on behalf of Zagreb County.
Total budget of the RACE 2 project: €1,934,839.38
EU co-financing (IPA III CBC funds): €1,644,613.47 (85%)
Partner contribution: €290,225.91 (15%)
