engleski

Medical care of displaced and refugee children from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina

The cruel war in Croatia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina brought a lot of suffering to the people. The aim of this work is to present the manner of medical care for such children and their problems. We examined and presented children in various conditions of refugee life: in refugee centres with tents or sheds, in hotel and villages. Examinations of such children were done by pediatrician in mobile clinic :"Clinic on wheels". All children under 7 years of age were systematically examined. Vaccination, prevention and treatment of anemia and rickets were immediatelly performed and acute diseases cured. Children with chronic diseases and those requiring surgical intervention were treated in health centres. The results of the health care of the refugee children are: inspite of difficult living conditions in refuge, thanks to comprehensive health care we had no epidemic diseases nor increase of infant mortality rate. Among deficitary diseases, most frequent was anemia (23-39%). Among acute diseases, the most frequent were respiratory infections, as they are in the time of peace, too. In refugee centres breastfeeding was decreased due to mothers' stress situation. Mothers mostly stopped breastfeeding during the exhausting transports to the refugee camps. Psychological problems were also present: depression, psychosomatic problems (headache, enuresis nocturna, pain in stomach, lack of air). These problems will be present for a long time after the war. Poorest condition had children which were situated in villages, not organized, without regular humanitarian aid supply. The war is over but a lot of children from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are still displaced because their homes are in riuns.

displaced and refugee children; Croatia; medical care

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