Croatia is facing a significant shortage of 106 paediatricians in its primary healthcare system, prompting counties, towns, and municipalities to take action to attract specialists and trainees. Measures being implemented include offering company vehicles, additional bonuses, and covering rental costs.
Koprivnica-Križevci County is leading efforts, where local towns are offering paediatricians an annual financial incentive of €13,280, along with a flat and a car for professional use.
Currently, 242 paediatricians serve as team leaders in primary healthcare across Croatia. The Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO) holds contracts for 281 paediatric teams, leaving 39 paediatric surgeries without a team leader.
The HZZO network plans a total of 348 teams, meaning 67 teams remain uncontracted.
The Croatian Medical Chamber reports a shortage of 106 paediatricians, including both unfilled team leader positions and uncontracted teams.
The average age of paediatricians in the country is 53, with 90% of them being women. Of the total, 34 paediatricians, or 14%, are over the age of 65, essentially retired but still active in the system.
The shortage is particularly severe in Sisak-Moslavina County, which only has two paediatricians out of the 12 needed, marking a shortfall of 83%. Five other counties are missing 40% or more of their required paediatricians.
However, three counties – Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Bjelovar-Bilogora, and Karlovac – have no shortage, employing the exact number of paediatricians required.
“The current situation with paediatricians has been an issue for the past ten years in primary healthcare. In some regions, it may already be too late for significant change,” said Mirjana Hanžeković, director of the Koprivnica-Križevci County Health Centre. “Paediatrics is a highly specialised and demanding field, and since few doctors are choosing it, particularly in primary care, it is unlikely the situation will improve, not just in our county but across Croatia,” she told Hina.
