This summer, the PGZ has had up to 50% more tourist clinics.

Rijeka, This summer, the Primorsko-Goranska County Health Center has secured 50 percent more tourist ambulances than last year, marking a significant expansion in its seasonal medical services. The increase was achieved through incentive payments and tailored adjustments to meet field requirements, according to Dr. Nikola Osojnak, head of the health center. The number of contracted tourist ambulances rose from six in 2025 to nine this year, with locations including Crikvenica, Krk, Malinska Lošinja, Rabac, Cres, Opatija, Lopara, and two mobile units operating alternately in Njivice and Malinska. These additional resources reflect the growing demand for medical support during peak tourist seasons. Tourist ambulances are not optional amenities but essential components of primary healthcare organization. With the number of individuals requiring medical assistance increasing significantly during the summer months, they play a crucial role in maintaining public health standards. The high contribution of tourism to the regional GDP underscores the necessity of adequate seasonal resources in medicine, security, fire services, and other critical sectors to ensure tourists can continue viewing Croatia as a quality destination comparable to Western neighbors. Upon assuming his duties as head of the Primorsko-Goranska County Health Center nearly four months ago, one of Osojnak’s priorities was securing sufficient locations and, more importantly, finding doctors and nurses willing to work within them. He emphasized the importance of these ambulances, noting that the areas where they operate have approximately 52,000 permanent residents. During peak season, tens of thousands of visitors stay in these towns simultaneously. For example, the city of Krk has around 6,816 residents but recorded over 262,000 tourist arrivals and 1.43 million commercial nights in 2025 alone. In August 2025, nearly 394,000 stays were registered, meaning an average of more than 12,000 registered tourists stayed there each night. Similarly, Cres, with just over 2,700 residents, saw 322,000 stays, averaging over 10,000 guests per night. Opatija, home to roughly 10,600 residents, logged over 412,000 arrivals and 1.2 million nights. Seasonal pressure is similarly present in Lošinja, Rabac, Lopara, Crikvenica, and Malinska and Njivice. Incentive payments played a key role in the increased number of tourist ambulances. While securing contracts and space was challenging, ensuring staff availability proved even more difficult. Doctors and nurses working in tourist ambulances already face heavy workloads, both during annual holidays and during periods of intense patient influx. To address this, incentives for 2026 were increased by an additional 1,000 euros net for doctors and 800 euros net for nursing staff. This approach enabled the health center to secure more teams than previous years and ensured almost all ambulances began operations earlier than before. Osojnak noted that such a strategy helped achieve three additional contracted tourist ambulances with earlier start dates, the return of a tourist ambulance to Opatija, weekend availability in Lopara, a new mobile model for Njivice and Malinska, and incentives that facilitated team staffing. While these developments represent a meaningful step forward, Osojnak stressed that this is not the final stage. Continuous efforts will be necessary to maintain and expand these services in response to evolving demands.