The University Clinical Center Tuzla hosted a symposium titled “War Surgery during the Aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina 1992–1995,” which opened with a solemn ceremony attended by numerous guests, distinguished physicians, and war surgeons.
This important event was held as part of the institutional program commemorating the genocide against Bosniaks. It gathered medical professionals, war surgeons, healthcare workers, family members of the deceased, and guests from across the Tuzla Canton and beyond.
The primary aim of the symposium was to preserve historical memory, promote a culture of remembrance, and foster inter- generational connections among healthcare workers through the sharing of experiences by those who saved lives under the harshest wartime conditions.
The symposium was jointly organized by the University Clinical Center Tuzla and the Association of Demobilized Veterans of Public Health Institutions of the Tuzla Canton.
The Director of the University Clinical Center Tuzla, Prof. Dr. Šekib Umihanić, emphasized that the idea to organize the symposium arose from a strong desire to address the topic of war surgery through a structured, institutional lens. “The subject matter of this symposium is deeply embedded in the collective memory of healthcare workers, yet it has not been systematically explored within a scientific or professional framework. This is not a platform to measure or compare individual contributions made during the aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is neither a place for personal accolades nor for competition. Rather, this symposium stands as a testament to the unwavering will to survive, a reflection of the extraordinary organization, superhuman effort, and profound humanity demonstrated by healthcare workers during a time when the very boundaries of human decency were tested on a daily basis. Above all, this gathering is an expression of gratitude and recognition for those who, under the most inhumane conditions, fought for every life regardless of name, religion, or background, thereby defending not only their patients, but also the core values of their profession and the very survival of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The goal of this symposium is clear: we want younger generations of healthcare workers to hear, feel, and understand the conditions under which their current professors, mentors, and colleagues once operated. To know that operating rooms were improvised, that instruments were sterilized in wood-burning stoves, that surgeries were performed without electricity, illuminated only by lanterns, and that, despite everything, hope never vanished. We want them to understand that medicine is not only about knowledge and skill, but also about ethics, humanity, dignity, and responsibility,” said Prof. Dr. Šekib Umihanić in his address.
The Vice President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Refik Lendo, attended the symposium as a guest of honor. In his address, he emphasized the vital role that medical professionals played in the defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war. “I wish to pay tribute to all medical professionals who carried out their noble and humane duties in various places, under extremely challenging conditions. Just like every soldier, from foot soldiers to commanders, our medical personnel, from battalion and brigade-level medics to war surgeons and hospital staff, treated every wounded and sick person without discrimination. In doing so, they contributed to the defense and preservation of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Vice President Lendo.
Among the speakers at the symposium was Prof. Dr. Mirsada Prašo, retired head of the Clinic for Anesthesiology and Reanimatology at the University Clinical Center Tuzla. During the war, she served as an anesthesiologist at the War Hospital in Gradačac. “In war, everyone loses, only surgery advances,” she remarked. “We are proud of what we were able to accomplish in that period, particularly in treating war-related injuries. I can say without exaggeration that recordings of our procedures were presented by doctors from other European countries at international surgical congresses and symposia. The War Hospital in Gradačac treated 3,840 injuries, including complex polytraumas, and an additional 1,000 cases under local anesthesia,” Prof. Prašo highlighted.
In addition to Prof. Dr. Mirsada Prašo, experiences from working in war hospitals, particularly the War Hospital in Srebrenica, were shared by numerous esteemed medical professionals who served on the front lines during the war.
Prof. Dr. Ilijaz Pilav, a war surgeon in Srebrenica, presented his testimony, alongside prim. dr. Fatima Klempić-Dautbašić, a war physician and participant of the “Path of Salvation.”
Other speakers included: Prim. dr. Fadil Pitić, head of the Gračanica War Hospital, Dr. Edvin Mulalić, Gračanica War Hospital, Dr. Mensur Hadžibeganović, war doctor at the Živinice Inpatient Hospital, Prim. Dr. Muhamed Fatić, head of the Kladanj War Hospital, Dr. Osman Muratović, Kladanj War Hospital, Asst. Prof. Dr. Zlatko Ercegović, Čelić War Hospital, Dr. Sahmir Šadić, Maoča War Hospital, Prof. Dr. Dragan Piljić, Bosanska Bijela War Hospital,Prim. dr. Ademir Odobašić, Gradačac War Hospital, Prof. Dr. Šefik Hasukić, Tešanj War Hospital, Prof. Dr. Adi Rifatbegović delivered a presentation on the establishment and operation of the Rainci War Hospital, highlighting the work and leadership of its head, Prof. Dr. Ekrem Dizdarević.
War experiences were also shared by Prim. Dr. Hasan Prašo, Dr. Abdulah Fazlić, Prof. Dr. Sead Ahmetagić, and Prof. Dr. Vahid Jusufović.
On behalf of Major General of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mirsad Ahmić, the attendees were addressed by Brigadier Faruk Ganić, Commander of the 2nd Infantry Ranger Regiment of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who read a letter from Major General Ahmić addressed to the participants of the symposium.
The symposium on the topic of war surgery concluded with several key resolutions, including the launch of an initiative to develop a comprehensive monograph on war hospitals that operated under the command of the Second Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Additionally, an initiative was proposed to establish the Association of Veterans of the Army of RBiH Medical Service, with the goal of preserving, researching, and promoting the legacy of war surgery during the aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Other conclusions included: the development of a proposal to establish a Memorial Room within the University Clinical Center Tuzla, dedicated to war surgery and the wartime healthcare system, the submission of an initiative to universities in Tuzla to restore the former name of the course “Surgery” to “Surgery with War Surgery”, and to introduce the subject “Crisis Management in Healthcare” across all health-related faculties, a proposal to implement a project to map and permanently mark the locations of war hospitals under the Second Corps of the ARBiH through the installation of informational and memorial plaques, the launch of an initiative to produce a documentary film on the work and significance of war hospitals within the Second Corps’ area of responsibility, as a permanent audiovisual testimony,
The conclusions also included a proposal to initiate the establishment of an annual commemoration day dedicated to the medical service, to be organized by the newly formed Association of Veterans of the Medical Service, along with an appropriate program and activities to mark the occasion each year.
The symposium was also an opportunity to hold a photo exhibition “The Path of Salvation” by Ahmet Bajrić Blicko, who presented through photographs a visual record of civilian evacuations and the moment of the arrival of the wounded and exhausted to the free territory where they were provided with medical assistance and care.
Delegations from the University Clinical Center Tuzla and the Association of Demobilized Veterans of Public Health Institutions in the Tuzla Canton also laid flowers at the memorial to the fallen employees, soldiers of the Army of BiH and civilian victims of the 1992-1995 war in the grounds of the University Clinical Center Tuzla.
