The procedure that begins from the moment you apply for international protection in Croatia includes a mandatory health examination, the content of which is prescribed by the Ordinance on the Content of the Health Examination for Asylum Seekers, Asylees, and Foreigners under Subsidiary Protection.
The mandatory health check is conducted at the reception centre or accommodation facility that provides housing for migrants.
The examination includes personal hygiene measures (washing and changing clothes): disinfection of clothing and the individuals themselves, and replacement of underwear and clothing.
After that, an initial health screening is carried out to identify signs of illness, such as fever, rash, or diarrhoea. If necessary, the person is referred to a doctor.
Why is a medical examination mandatory
The basic medical examination is carried out during the first seven days of staying in the reception centre, with the aim of detecting acute infectious diseases and establishing vaccination status. At this stage, you will receive necessary vaccinations and be given a written confirmation of the medical check-up and possible instructions regarding health monitoring.
A supplementary medical examination with tests focuses on detecting or documenting any chronic infectious disease or carrier state. During this stage, additional vaccinations will also be administered, if necessary.
To determine the presence of infectious diseases, the health check, along with the medical history, includes screening for tuberculosis, scabies, typhoid fever, and, if necessary, other bacterial and parasitic intestinal infections. Additionally, blood tests are carried out for basic indicators of possible infectious diseases, and individuals coming from tropical countries endemic for certain diseases must undergo appropriate tests.
Based on the data obtained from the medical history and examination, other tests or specialist referrals should be included if needed, and the person referred for treatment.
A positive finding of a chronic illness does not affect the decision on obtaining asylum status.
Health monitoring
You will be under health monitoring for a period of 21 days, during which time certain infectious diseases (such as yellow fever, measles, and others) may appear if you arrived in Croatia during the incubation phase. During this time, the results of the laboratory tests will arrive, and the necessary vaccinations will be completed.
After all the mandatory examinations and procedures are conducted, a health certificate is issued in two copies, one of which is attached to the documentation for the asylum request, and the other is kept by you.
Vaccination
As part of the medical check-up and history-taking, it is necessary to determine which diseases you have been vaccinated against so far, i.e., your vaccination status, and the presence of a BCG (tuberculosis) vaccination scar is checked.
All persons up to 35 years of age, and older than one year, will be vaccinated immediately upon arrival with one dose of the vaccine against measles, polio, diphtheria, and tetanus.
Preschool and school-aged children up to the age of 14 will be included in the free Mandatory Vaccination Program in accordance with the recommendations for unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated individuals by age.
Health counselling
As an asylum seeker, you have the right to health care, emergency and essential medical and dental treatment, including medication, bandages, and other services necessary for treatment, recovery, or alleviation of disease or its effects.
You can exercise your right by presenting your asylum seeker card or the confirmation of your submitted asylum request.
Reception centres in Croatia
In the Republic of Croatia, there are reception centres currently providing accommodation for about 700 migrants:
Porin - in Zagreb; asylum seekers, asylees, illegal migrants (as a detention alternative) - temporary accommodation.
Kutina – about 80 km from Zagreb; for vulnerable groups – women, unaccompanied children, families with children.
Ježevo – under the jurisdiction of the Border Department of the Ministry of the Interior; detention and deportation centre for foreigners.
Families are not separated, and vulnerable persons, such as unaccompanied women, unaccompanied minors, and individuals who have experienced trauma, are accommodated in separate rooms.
The Foreigners’ Centre in Ježevo is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior and serves for the detention and deportation of foreigners. Although primarily a centre for illegal migrants, foreigners who have applied for international protection are occasionally housed there temporarily, after which they are transferred to a reception centre for asylum seekers.
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