Comprehensive pain management in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The aim of the project was to enable war and mine victims to receive proper pain therapy treatment and to improve the skills of medical staff to upgrade the quality of pain therapy in the major cities Sarajevo, Foca and Mostar. To achieve this, Satellite Pain Management Units, functioning and well equipped for pain therapy, were established. This ensured that the medical staff could provide treatment to both hospitalised and external patients. To further improve the skills and knowledge of the medical staff, a curriculum on pain management for the Training of Trainers was established and several seminars for 440 medical professionals were held. Additionally the first „Congress on Pain Management in BiH“ was organised in April 2010 in Sarajevo, strongly supported by the Government of BiH and the Ambassadors of Japan and Austria in BiH.

Project Background: 

Since 2006, HOPE’87 together with its cooperation partners ADA, UNESCO, JICA, OFID and the Ministries of Health of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and of the Republic of Serbia has established an almost nationwide network of pain management and medical care for people with special needs. This network of pain relief and pain management benefits people with disabilities, especially war and mine, as well as chronic pain patients. Furthermore, initial and further training of more than 600 physicians and health care professionals was provided.