On Tuesday, the Helicopter Medical Emergency Service (HHMS) was put into operation at the Delta heliport in Rijeka, accompanied by two simulation exercises in which the three rescue services - the HHMS, the Maritime Rescue Service speedboats and the Land Medical Rescue Service - worked together.

The newly established helicopter service operates from bases in four cities – Osijek, Rijeka, Split and Zagreb – providing high-quality, fast and affordable emergency medical care to citizens and visitors wherever they are, including islands, rural, remote and inaccessible areas.

Health Minister Vili Beros emphasised that Croatia now has the missing link in healthcare provision – the HHMS. He said that this project is of strategic importance. It is worth 62.5 million euros, of which 10 million euros come from EU grants.

The lives saved in the last two days show how important this service is. With the coordinated deployment of the HHMS and the shore-based rescue service, our paramedics have demonstrated the operational readiness of the HHMS, but also its coordination with the shore-based team, which was also demonstrated during the simulation exercises, emphasised the Minister.

Beros said that with the introduction of the HHMS system, Croatia is now one of the countries with the most developed rescue services in Europe. Croatia now offers an optimal HHMS system throughout its territory, utilising the available infrastructural, human and financial resources and taking into account the meteorological and climatic conditions, topographical features of the terrain, existing roads and other relevant factors.

Citizens from third countries pay for the services according to the HZZO price list

Persons with health insurance in Croatia and EU citizens covered by international agreements can use the services free of charge. However, for citizens from third countries, emergency services are charged according to the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO) price list.

The Minister of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, Oleg Butkovic, said that this emergency assistance is of strategic importance not only for Rijeka, but also for the counties of Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Istria, and especially for remote places such as the islands.

Medical aid boats are particularly important. In the first three months of this year, they transported 72 patients.