Debts for drugs, etc, in Croatia at record

Debts for drugs and medical equipment have reached record levels in Croatia. Hospitals and pharmacies owe suppliers 4.0 billion kuna ($720.0 million). Croatian television reported that some institutions had taken bank credits so that they could continue buying supplies.

"Certain health institutions have owed us money for over three years. Presently, they owe us a total of 15.0 million kuna," said Lidija Knezevic, director of Instrumentaria, a company that produces medical equipment.

Some drug suppliers wait up to 230 days to get paid, say local sources. That does not even begin to compare with neighboring European Union member Slovenia, where drugs suppliers get paid after 45 days, on average. But hospitals also have problems. The monthly funds that they receive are barely sufficient to cover patients' treatment costs and employees' salaries. The city hospital in the popular Adriatic tourist destination Dubrovnik reportedly has debts amounting to 50.0 kuna million.