Croatia is launching a network of mobile clinics and pharmacies to improve access to healthcare in rural, remote and island communities, the Ministry of Health said on Tuesday.
Under the programme, doctors and nurses will provide primary care services from specially equipped vehicles that will travel to isolated settlements lacking basic healthcare. Patients will be able to receive examinations, prescriptions, referrals and home visits. The initiative will cover nearly 80% of the country’s underserved areas, the ministry said in a statement.
The €5.3 million project, implemented in cooperation with counties and health centres, includes the procurement of 33 mobile clinic vehicles and is scheduled for completion within 14 months. It aims to provide better healthcare for the elderly and people with limited mobility.
Counties set to receive two vehicles each include Bjelovar-Bilogora, Koprivnica-Križevci, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Sisak-Moslavina, Split-Dalmatia, Varaždin, Virovitica-Podravina and Zadar. One vehicle each will go to Krapina-Zagorje, Osijek-Baranja, Požega-Slavonia, Zagreb, as well as towns including Korčula, Čakovec, Gospić, Metković, Vojnić, Ozalj, Vinkovci, Knin, Slavonski Brod, Vukovar, Županja, Nova Gradiška and various locations in Istria.
The government is also introducing six mobile pharmacies housed in camper vans, worth €1.15 million, and two pharmacy boats valued at €1.87 million. The vans will serve six counties including Lika-Senj and Vukovar-Srijem, while the boats will operate in Zadar County and surrounding islands.
The programme seeks to improve access to medicines in areas without pharmacies or depots, targeting both local populations and tourists.
The Ministry said it is committed to expanding mobile healthcare and integrating digital technologies into the national health system to improve service delivery and support demographic renewal in underdeveloped regions.
Croatia’s Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS), which launched on March 30, has carried out 1,573 missions to date, the ministry said. HEMS bases are located in Zagreb, Osijek, Split and Rijeka.
The Split base, located on Brač island, conducted 690 interventions, followed by Rijeka (on Krk island) with 605, Zagreb with 213 and Osijek with 65. The Ministry said the number of missions underscores the system’s life-saving impact and justifies the investment.
A parallel Maritime Emergency Medical Service, launched earlier, includes six high-speed boats stationed in Dubrovnik, Šibenik, Zadar, Mali Lošinj, Rab and Milna on Brač island. The €10.1 million project has carried out 523 missions to date, including 173 from Brač and 149 from Šibenik.
The maritime and aerial services are part of broader efforts to ensure more equitable access to emergency care across Croatia, particularly in remote and island areas.
