Within the implementation of the National Programme for Romanies in health, CNIPH has conducted an education for educators from the five counties with the largest number of Romany settlements.  An educational package had been prepared (with the topics dealt with under the National Programme and with the production of accompanying leaflets).  Representatives of the Romany Association Council, visitor nurses, public health institute physicians and focal points from county councils who, in accord with local priorities, would monitor the realisation of health educational actions in Romany settlements.

Representatives of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, National Bureau of Statistics and CNIPH talked at a joint meeting with their colleagues from the United Nations Development Programme, UNEP-Croatia about the monitoring of the realisation of the Millenium objectives, namely reducing the infant mortality rate and improving the women’s reproductive health.  These two of the eight objectives set by the Millenium Declaration, the UN political document for the 21^st century adopted in the year 2000, are of interest to all member states and international community as a whole.  The document also spells out the activities necessary for its realisation.

An educational course for medical examiners from the Karlovačka County was given on 17 December in Karlovac.  Death certificates, based on which the cause of death is coded, are completed by medical examiners, most of whom are physicians.  The national average of the cause unknown and of the cause not otherwise specified is 1.5%.  Because some counties have a slightly higher percentage than national average, our Service staff will provide educational courses in these counties too, in order to place the quality of mortality statistics on an even higher level.

A meeting of the Working Group for the Development of a Health Indicator System project has taken place at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.  The main project objective was to make public health indicators accessible to the public via a web application, to make health care planning easier for professionals, and give all concerned an objective information about the health status of the population and not just at the national, but also at regional levels.  To start project execution, a minimum set of social and health indicators on counties in 2003 will be selected.

On several occasions in December, the Virology Department demonstrated the presence of the Norwalk‑like virus (Norovirus) antigen in stool samples of the patients from the Pula area and its surroundings, and from Popovača.  Norovirus was the causative agent of a minor outbreak of diarrhoea in these two areas; as to its proved antigens, most belonged to genogroup 2.

A Zagreb Medical School doctoral study on the subject of respiratory viral infections was conducted at CNIPH on 7-17 December 2004.  In addition to Prof. Dr. G. Mlinaric Galinovic, the Course Leader, other CNIPH lecturers were Prof. Dr. I. Gjenero‑Margan, T. Vilibic Cavlek, MD, MSc, and V. Drazenovic, MD. 

At the Croatian Medical Association in Zagreb, a Course on Biomaterial Infections was held on 17-18 December.  Its organiser was Croatian Society for Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Medical School.  E. Mlinaric-Missoni, MD, ScD from CNIP delivered a lecture “Fungaemia in immunocompromised patients combined with intravenous prosthetic materials”. 

This year, a trichinellosis epidemic broke out at the beginning of November, earlier than usual.  It was caused by industrially manufactured sausages sold at shops in Slavonski Brod and in Pula.  Some 20 samples of dried meat products from both towns were tested at the Parasitology Department, CNIPH, two showing the presence of Trichinella spiralis.  Simultaneously 94 human serum samples came in: in 65 of these, IgM and IgG class antibodies to trichinella were demonstrated.

As part of the UNEP-GEF project (United Nations Environment Programme-Global Environment Facility), its Sixth Workshop called “Developing a Framework for National Biosafety in the Republic of Croatia” was held on 16-17 December 2004. This international regional workshop titled “GMO Project Evaluation and Defining Croatia’s Remaining Obligations” was designed for department heads of the responsible ministries (Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Ministry of Economy, Work and Entrepreneurship), members of the Project coordinating committees, members of the professional committees under the Nature Conservancy Act, professional societies, and representatives of industry and scientific societies.   It established what results have been achieved, clearly indicating which remaining requirements relating to the GMO problem area (particularly legislative, administrative and financial) and in what manner Croatia should fulfil when joining the EU.  International experts outlined the currently valid legislation, describing the present system of biosafety, and informed the conferees about the assistance offered to the countries coping with these problems by the EU and the world.  Speaking in the introduction, Mrs. Meira Bosnic and Krunoslav Capak, MD, MSc gave an account of the results achieved on the project in Croatia.  CNIP conferees at the Workshop included J. Novak‑Zafran, ScD, Sanela Ljubenko‑Mihelj, BSc, and Andreja Barisin, MD.