The death of young Tamara Dimovska from Veles which shook the country raised many questions for anyone seeking help for treatment from the Health Insurance Fund (HIF). How many people are on the list of HIF who are waiting for assistance for treatment abroad? Is there a way to speed up the procedure in order to avoid situations like the one with Tamara? Will someone bear the responsibility for the life of the deceased girl? Unfortunately, even after two days, HIF didn’t answer these questions.
But, according to the data available in their annual reports, you can see that in 2013 (last report) 277 people asked money for treatment from HIF and, while only 148 people received positive responses – 17 were approved or recognized additional funds for treatment abroad, while 129 people were rejected. The report says that insurers whose requests for treatment abroad were rejected by the Commission is because they the possibilities of treatment in the existing health institutions in Macedonia were not exhausted or because there were no opportunities for successful treatment of the disease abroad have the opportunity to appeal to the Board of Directors of HIF.
Children, teenagers, older and younger people, 29 in total, at the webpage “donacii.mk” ask fellow citizens to help them in the fight for life. You can find applications for aid for operations of eyes, tumors, spinal cords, cerebral palsy and other injuries received in traffic accidents. HIF refused to help some of these people to be operated abroad, so they now seek hope in the humanity of their fellow citizens. Others have not even tried to seek help.
We all know the story of Joce, it is present in the media almost a few years now, but also there are opened bank accounts, phone donations and donation boxes placed in cafes. Similar is the story of Margo, who suffers from cerebral palsy.
The page on which can be found several dozen calls for help, there are some children who are only few years old and do not know how their lives will turn out.
Neither Directors of HIF, nor the Minister of Health Nikola Todorov feel any responsibility for the death of young Tamara and do not intend to bear responsibility for this tragic event.
– I feel disappointed, but I have to explain that I’m not the one who postponed. When I heard about this case, which really touched me, I called the Director of the Fund and she made efforts, so means were found. One of the top surgeons for spinal surgery from Turkey was called, who said that the operation cannot be performed in Macedonia and proposed to form a team of experts from different hospitals in Turkey. The term was to be set these days, 8th or 9th of January, but, unfortunately, she didn’t make it. I think that I did everything in my power, even more than that, but, obviously, it was not enough. I am sorry for this unfortunate event and sincerely sympathize with the family – said yesterday Todorov, not mentioning resignation, although it was asked from about 10,000 people on the social network “Facebook”.
In a statement, Skopje Public Prosecution said they had already appointed public prosecutor who will investigate Tamara’s case.
In addition, page “Resignation of Nikola Todorov,” which received great support from the citizens, was formed on the social network. The same day when Tamara died, statuses with lines for donations accompanied with the text ‘Do not let Tamara’s case repeat’ also appeared. There was a status of a girl from Strumica who wrote on her Facebook profile: “Three children in just one city or just so we know. For them, the country has not given consent, so we collect money by donations, concerts and from house to house. If you want to shout, shout louder, because their families are quietly sobbing,” is written under the names and data of children who need help.
The case of Tamara was one of most tweeted in Macedonia. Until now, #Тамара has 818 tweets.
So far no one MP has taken the initiative to propose a bill that would reduce these procedures, although everyone is aware that, due to the bureaucracy, many people in need didn’t receive help. At yesterday’s event to promote the project “Dispersed speech therapist”, even the Minister of Health Nikola Todorov said that, perhaps, deadlines for the meetings of the commissions are too long, and should not be when it comes to children.
The procedure with which parents and citizens who need help from HIF face every day can be seen on this link.
