A new stereotactic linear accelerator has been commissioned at the University Clinical Hospital Mostar (SKB Mostar, Croatia), significantly strengthening the hospital’s capacity to provide advanced cancer treatment.
The new device was acquired as part of the LIFEGATE strategic project, led by SKB Mostar and co-financed by the European Union. The project brings together healthcare institutions from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, with the aim of strengthening cross-border cooperation and improving access to modern healthcare services.
The new accelerator enables radiation to be precisely targeted at tumours while reducing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. Its introduction will improve access to advanced radiotherapy for patients in the region and further enhance the quality of cancer care at SKB Mostar.
The acquisition of the equipment is the first step in the process. Staff training and the gradual introduction of advanced treatment methods will follow, further expanding the hospital’s ability to provide modern radiotherapy.
Minister of Health of the Republic of Croatia Associate Professor Irena Hrstić, MD, PhD, attended the ceremony marking the commissioning of the new equipment.
“As Minister of Health in the Government of the Republic of Croatia, I believe we have demonstrated how much we value the efforts of our healthcare system, and we will continue to do so in the near future. Alongside investment in modern equipment, knowledge, professional training and cooperation between healthcare institutions are equally important. By working together, we are creating better opportunities for higher-quality and more accessible healthcare for patients,” Minister Hrstić said.
The ceremony, held at the Department of Oncology, was also attended by Darijana Filipović, Member of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Domagoj Mikulić, State Secretary at the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds of the Republic of Croatia; Prof. Ante Kvesić, MD, PhD, Director of SKB Mostar; Marija Buhač, President of the Government of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton; and Milenko Bevanda, Minister of Health, Labour and Social Welfare of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton.
The LIFEGATE project is being implemented under the Interreg VI-A IPA Croatia–Bosnia and Herzegovina–Montenegro 2021–2027 programme. In addition to SKB Mostar, six other partners are involved in the project, including University Hospital Centre Zagreb and University Hospital Centre Split from Croatia.
SKB Mostar plays a key role in providing healthcare to the population of the region, serving approximately half a million patients. Investment in modern diagnostic and treatment technologies therefore has significance beyond the hospital itself, contributing to improved healthcare capacity across the wider region.
The hospital also provides treatment to Croatian citizens. A cooperation agreement on emergency medical care, signed in July, provides for the treatment of critically ill and life-threatening cases from Dubrovnik-Neretva and Split-Dalmatia counties.
Alongside European funding, SKB Mostar continues to receive support from the Republic of Croatia, reflecting Croatia’s commitment to strengthening healthcare services for the Croatian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
