Country

Croatia

Detention issue

FRA research findings

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Legal instruments & key provisions

Legal instrument Key provision
Prison Sentence Execution Act (Zakon o izvršavanjukaznezatvora)Prisoners are provided with healthcare treatment in the quality and scope determined by public care system for persons with compulsory health insurance. Prisoners have access to medical services through infirmaries located within prisons. When needed, for more serious medical examinations or hospital treatment they are referred to the Prison Hospital. A need to purchase a prosthetic device such as glasses, hearing device or any other is determined on basis of proposal of a doctor working in a prison in compliance with general health regulations. Inmate’s financial situation and the length of his or her sentence will be taken in consideration when deciding on the costs.

NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM RECOMMENDATIONS

Year Recommendation Report
2015The NPM recommended to provide supplementary health insurance for all prisoners who are without regular income, to adapt the space and equipment in the medical facilities of penal institutions to comply with prescribed minimum requirements, to enable prison physicians to issue prescriptions for medications and referral slips that will be accepted by external medical institutions, implement legislation changes so that the healthcare of prisoners be entirely covered by the public healthcare system. Report details
2016The NPM recommended to provide all prisoners who meet the requirements with supplementary health insurance at the expense of the State Budget, to align premises and equipment of infirmaries in penal institutions with the Ordinance on Minimum Standards regarding Premises, Staff and Medical- Technical Equipment of a Medical Institution Providing Healthcare to Persons Deprived of Their Liberty, to prepare amendments to legal regulations enabling healthcare of prisoners to be integrated into the public healthcare system. Report details
2018To the Ministry of Justice, to adapt accommodation conditions in all penal institutions to comply with legal and international standards. Report details
2020To the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Justice and Administration, to regulate the issue of performing health care activities within the prison system in accordance with the Health Care Act. Report details
2021To the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Justice and Administration, in cooperation with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund, to adapt the procedure for prescribing and issuing prescription drugs to persons deprived of their liberty in the prison system. Report details
2022Despite repeated requests, we have not yet been provided with the resolution from Article 76 of the Health Care Act (ZZZ), which establishes that the Prison Hospital in Zagreb meets the prescribed conditions for conducting health care activities. We conclude that this delay is unacceptable. It is essential for the Ministry of Justice to promptly submit a request to the Ministry of Health for the issuance of this resolution. Additionally, it is necessary to regulate the status of health care departments within penal institutions (commonly referred to as “ambulances”) that carry out primary health care services. Taking into account the fact that, according to the data available, out of a total of six individuals who died from overdose in the prison system from January 1, 2021, to April 30, 2022, five died in the Zagreb Prison (including the Diagnostic Center in Zagreb), special attention has been given to the organisation of the distribution of substitution therapy for incarcerated individuals and the conduct of officials aimed at preventing the misuse of substitution medications and other therapies in that penal institution. Report details
2023The quality of health care for prisoners and its insufficient accessibility remain significant issues. The provision of health care services in accordance with the Health Care Act is still not regulated, and longstanding systemic problems have not been addressed. For example, doctors employed within the prison system are not connected to the Central Health Information System (CEZIH), so they cannot prescribe medications or issue referrals. This means that all prisoners must have their own general practitioner, which poses an additional organisational problem. The issue is even more significant when prescribing medications for substitution therapy, as discussed further in the 2022 Report. Additionally, due to the lack of connection with CEZIH, doctors employed within the prison cannot schedule specialist appointments, unlike general practitioners. Report details