Charlotte: This morning we went on a walking tour of Makarska where we saw the main square, the Rivera and became acclimated with our city that we will be spending our remaining time in. Upon completion we went to a meeting with the mayor’s office were we discussed local issues.
Currently there have been several protests in recent weeks on a new proposal to close the delivery ward of the hospital here in Makarska. Closing of this hospital will have serious implications for pregnant women in Makarska and the surrounding areas. The nearest hospital is in Split a little over an hour drive with out traffic from Makarska, with tourist travel during the busy summer months this travel time could increase dramatically. Do to country wide budget cuts money has to be cut, but protesters are urging the local and country governments to find money to cut else where. Currently the minister of health has partially withdrawn some of the closings but no definite decisions have been made as to weather or not the delivery ward will be closed for good.
Today we also went to talk to Dr. Ivanda a director of the school health program in Croatia. The school health program is a full scope program that monitors each child in a variety of ways. Every summer each student is evaluated based on an outlined battery of tests. Each grade is generally tested for something different, testes can include things that test their motor skills, cogitative skills, and physical needs, as well as possible learning disabilities. Children that have been identified as learning disabled (i.e. Dyslexia, ADD, ADHD, ect.) are then given the modifications and help that they need to be successful in school. This yearly evaluation is also the time when school aged children are given their up to date immunizations.
Dr. Ivanda also explained that Croatia has a very low teen pregnancy rate. She stated that this was because children between the ages of 12 and 13 are given a comprehensive sex education class in school that talks about contraceptive methods and students know where to go to get contraceptives. She also stated that sexually transmitted infections were not a problem in Croatia. I am unsure if she mean that these low STI rates were because of the comprehensive sex education or not but this is not a problem for them.
Overall I think that the United States can learn a lot from Croatia's approach to school health. If we took the time to evaluate students each summer before school starts in the fall we might be able to better identify learning disabilities or other factors that may make success in the classroom difficult and give us time to help children over come or help compensate for the issue.
I also think that we should take not of Croatia's view on comprehensive sex education. they do not have the problem of teen pregnancies and STI's like the United States.
This afternoon we spent the day exploring the city on our own and met for dinner at the Roma Restaurant.
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