Zavidovici (Nehumanizam u zdravstvu Zavidovici)

The film tells the story of Jasminka Bjelić, a Roma woman from Zavidovići, Bosnia and Herzegovina, who neither had health insurance nor money to pay for a pregnancy-related exam, received a potentially life-saving treatment too late for her or her baby to survive. According to the recollection of Jasminka’s partner, Jasminka arrived at Zavidovići health centre with heavy bleeding and excessive pain; however, she was informed that she could not be treated unless she pays for the treatment. She was then told go to the private doctor's office where she had been treated from the beginning of her pregnancy for free. She was carried in her partner’s arms to his office where she was examined, and it was determined that she was in a serious condition and needed to be transported to the cantonal hospital in Zenica. However, Jasminka was the only patient who was waiting for transportation by ambulance; as a result, she had to wait for other patients to be transported for budgetary reasons. After her arrival at the cantonal hospital in Zenica, she received necessary treatment but passed away 10 days later. According to the relevant local regulations, both pregnancy and urgent care should be provided free regardless of the insurance status of the person, so it is unclear why Jasminka was asked to pay for an exam that should have been provided for free and was sent away when she first visited the health centre. The case raises the issue of institutionalised intersectional discrimination and illustrates the clear need for special measures to address this issue.