- 07-00-362/2024-02 date: 31 May 2024.
MINISTRY OF FAMILY CARE AND DEMOGRAPHY
Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski, Minister
11070 BELGRADE
Bulevar Mihajla Pupina no. 2
Subject: Recommendation of measures to achieve equality
Dear Ms. Đurđević Stamenkovski,
The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality received a letter from the “Debra” Association, in which they stated that the members of their association were entitled to vouchers in the amount of 50,000 dinars awarded by the Ministry of Family Care and Demography, but that they were disappointed because they could not use them. Namely, they clarified that children and adults cannot use any of the services provided in special hospitals, that is, that those services are not adequate for them, and that they sent a request to the Ministry of Family Care and Demography to include the already existing facilities offered by the state, e.g. to users care and assistance of another person and to users with lower incomes, in the option for using vouchers.
In the letter sent by the Association “Debra” to the Ministry of Family Care and Demography on April 29, 2024, it was stated that at the meeting of the Management Board of the Association, they considered the options that the Ministry gave them for using the vouchers and that they came to the conclusion that, unfortunately, the option of special hospitals is not adequate for children because “almost no service can be provided or they do not need it”. They explained that due to the daily treatments performed with the children and the involvement of both parents in those treatments (noting that the staff cannot perform those treatments because they are not trained), those vouchers would be used by the family. It was further stated that spending time outside and walking means the most to children, and that they are asking the Ministry to consider the possibility of including, as an option for using vouchers, facilities that the state offers to other users, e.g. users of care and assistance of another person and users with lower incomes, and that such an option would give them the opportunity to take their children to a spa or to a mountain for 6, 7, 8 days.
Under the Government Conclusion 05 number: 401-636/2024 of January 25, 2024, persons suffering from rare diseases, who are citizens of the Republic of Serbia and are registered in the register of persons suffering from rare diseases maintained by the Institute for Public Health “Dr. Milan Jovanović Batut”, are awarded vouchers for rehabilitation and recreation in the amount of 50,000 dinars. Funds for awarding vouchers from point 1 of this conclusion are provided from the budget of the Republic of Serbia, for the Ministry of Family Care and Demography to distribute the vouchers to persons suffering from rare diseases. Point 3 defines that the vouchers will be awarded to one of the parents of a minor or an adult who suffers from a rare disease; a parent who independently exercises parental rights; a guardian, in cases where a legally binding decision of the guardianship authority has appointed them as the guardian of a person who has suffered from rare diseases for which a voucher is awarded; to a foster parent, in cases where the foster care of a person suffering from a rare disease for which vouchers are awarded is based on a legally binding decision of the guardianship authority; an adult who suffers from a rare disease. Vouchers from point 4 are awarded by the Ministry of Family Care and Demography based on a request that should contain data from the application, according to the model that is an integral part of this conclusion. Vouchers from point 1 can be used no later than November 20, 2024, in health institutions specialized in rehabilitation, while health institutions from paragraph 1 of this point will, upon completion of the service, submit the realized vouchers along with the attached fiscal invoices for reimbursement to the Ministry of Family Care and Demographics. Point 6 defines that this Conclusion, for implementation, will be submitted to the Ministry of Family Care and Demography, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Health and the Institute of Public Health “Dr. Milan Jovanović Batut”, and for information to the Republic Fund for Health Insurance.
The List of Special Hospitals and Institutes from the Plan of the Network of Health Institutions of the Republic of Serbia in which the voucher of the Ministry of Family Care and Demography can be realized[1] conatins the Melenci Special Rehabilitation Hospital, Banja Kanjiža Special Rehabilitation Hospital, Junaković Special Rehabilitation Hospital Apatin, Stari Slankamen Special Hospital for Neurological and Post-Traumatic Conditions, Vrdnik Special Rehabilitation Hospital, Banja Koviljača Special Rehabilitation Hospital, Special Rehabilitation Hospital “Bukovička Banja”, Aranđelovac, Special Hospital for Non-Specific Lung Diseases “Sokobanja”, Sokobanja, Special Hospital for Rehabilitation “Gamzigrad”, Zaječar, Special Hospital for Thyroid Gland Diseases and Metabolic Diseases “Zlatibor”, Čajetina, Special Hospital for Rehabilitation Ivanjica, Special Hospital for Treatment and Rehabilitation “Merkur”, Vrnjačka Banja, Special Rehabilitation Hospital “Agens”, Mataruška Banja, Kraljevo, Special Hospital for Progressive Muscular and Neuromuscular Diseases Novi Pazar, Special Rehabilitation Hospital “Ribarska Banja”, Kruševac, Institute for Treatment and Rehabilitation “Niška Banja”, Niš, Special Rehabilitation Hospital “Gejzer”, Sijarinska Banja, Medveđa, Special Rehabilitation Hospital Bujanovac, Rehabilitation Institute, Belgrade, Selters Mladenovac.
By provision of Article 33, item 7 of the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination[2] it is prescribed that the Commissioner monitors the implementation of laws and other regulations, initiates the adoption or amendment of regulations and gives an opinion on the provisions of draft laws and other regulations with the aim of promoting equality and protection against discrimination, while item 9 of the same article prescribes that they submit recommendations for measures to public authorities and other persons for achieving equality and protection against discrimination.
Bearing in mind all of the above, and especially taking into account that awarding vouchers to persons suffering from a rare disease for rehabilitation and recreation is a measure of support for them, the Commissioner, in accordance with Article 33, items 7 and 9, of the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination sends to the Ministry of Family Care and Demography the recommendation of measures for achieving equality, by which it is recommended that as an option for the use of vouchers they include other existing facilities for rehabilitation and recreation that could more adequately respond to the needs of people suffering from rare diseases.
It is necessary to inform the Commissioner about the measures taken, within 30 days from the date of delivery of this recommendation.
[1] https://www.minbpd.gov.rs/podrska-obolelima-od-retkih-bolesti/
[2] “Official Gazette of RS”, Nos. 22/09 and 52/21
COMMISSIONER FOR THE PROTECTION OF EQUALITY
Brankica Janković
