Doctors in West Herzegovina Canton to submit collective resignations Friday at noon

The Union states that this action follows years of neglect of doctors, an overburdened healthcare system, and unsustainably low salaries. A total of 61 doctors have already signed the resignation decision, which, they warn, would bring the healthcare system of West Herzegovina Canton to the brink of collapse.

They emphasize that in this canton, one doctor is responsible on average for around 1,312 patients, making it the most overburdened healthcare system.

"At the same time, revenues of the Health Insurance Fund have been continuously increasing and have risen by 61 percent over the past five years, while doctors' salaries in WHC remain the lowest in the Federation of BiH and are stuck at the very bottom," the Union stated.

They remind that they had previously warned the Government that, if their demands were not met, they would proceed with collective resignations. Nearly 70 percent of doctors have signed the resignation decision.

The Professional Union of Doctors of Medicine and Dentistry of WHC is seeking a 34.7 percent salary increase so that a specialist doctor, as they say, could cover the average consumer basket in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

According to them, the Government of West Herzegovina Canton yesterday submitted concrete proposals to the Union in an effort to reach an agreement on concluding a new Collective Agreement.

The Government offered a 25 percent increase in the hourly wage, effective March 1, and an additional 8 percent increase, effective January 1, 2027, along with a Collective Agreement lasting 18 months. Alternatively, a 27 percent increase in the hourly wage would be effective March 1, accompanied by a Collective Agreement lasting 12 months.

As part of the offer, the Government proposed including a provision in the new Collective Agreement that would require negotiations for a new agreement to begin three months before the current one's expiration. However, the Union rejected this offer.