Overview
The First International Symposium of Family Medicine — “Prevention of Diseases for All Generations” — was held in Bihać at Hotel Kostelski Buk, organized by the Cantonal Association of Family Medicine of Una-Sana Canton. The event brought together family physicians, specialists and public-health experts from B&H, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia.
Opening session
The opening session, led by Dr. Amela Okanović-Bužimkić and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Samir Porić, traced the development of family medicine in B&H since the 1999 primary-care reform supported by Queen's University (Kingston, Canada), noting the country's 2002 accession to WONCA.
State of the profession in B&H and the region
Dr. Asper Lepozanović presented the structural challenges of the B&H system: 54 family physicians per 100,000 inhabitants compared to 307 in Portugal, and 1,900–2,000 registered patients per team versus the European norm of 1,200–1,500.
- family physicians in B&H
- 54 / 100k
- in Portugal
- 307 / 100k
- patients per team (B&H)
- 1,900–2,000
- European norm
- 1,200–1,500
A regional panel with Slovenian family medicine leaders and Dr. Sajna Mehmet (Sjenica, Serbia) highlighted Slovenia's reforms: mandatory specialization, a 1,500-patient cap per new physician, additional outpatient clinics paid at €75/hour, and a €1,000 salary supplement for family-medicine residents — measures that raised annual residency intake from 20–30 to 80–100.
Health literacy and communication
Prof. Dr. Nevena Todorović (Banja Luka) addressed health literacy, warning that 36.65% of the population in Republika Srpska has no more than elementary education. Recommended readability of medical materials should match a seventh-grade level — professional jargon creates distance from the patient.
Obesity and mental health
Prof. Marina discussed professional bias toward patients living with obesity, introducing the EASO ABCD definition and the 5A model (Ask, Assess, Advise, Agree, Assist).
Prof. Vildana Azirajs Majić explored the mental health of the family, including transgenerational vulnerability specific to the B&H context shaped by war trauma, migration crisis and the pandemic.
Dr. Hrvoje Handl (Croatia) spoke on eating disorders and the role of family physicians as the first point of recognition.
Modern therapeutic approaches
Sponsored scientific sessions covered:
- Apixaban — safe selection, dosing and monitoring (Hemofarm).
- Diabetes and cardiorenal protection — shifting beyond glycemic control (Krka).
- Vitamin D and osteoporosis — preventive dosing 400–2,000 IU; osteoporosis affects 18–20% of the population (Amicus).
- Empagliflozin — through the metabolic-cardiorenal continuum (Boehringer Ingelheim).
Post-abdominal-surgery physiotherapy
The symposium closed with Mag. Mjelkica Ivacicic (Croatia) on post-abdominal-surgery physiotherapy — a long-neglected rehabilitation domain covering cesarean section, rectus diastasis and hernias.
Key conclusions
- Family medicine must be recognized as a specialty of complexity, not general practice.
- Prevention and lifelong education require systemic support.
- Reform inspired by Slovenia is urgently needed for B&H.
- Communication, health literacy and holistic patient care are non-negotiable professional standards.
The organizers announced that the symposium will become a recurring event, with the next edition planned for June of next year.