In America, everyone tries to provide doctors with the necessary conditions for work, while my colleagues who work in Bosnia and Herzegovina, are real heroes, they have to fight with much bigger problems than I do, he told Radio Free Europe (RSE ) president of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian-American Academy of Sciences and Arts (BHAAAS), dr. Mahira Tanović.
Tanović is a plastic surgeon, the owner of a private practice in New York, and a professor at the Faculty of Medicine. BHAAAS connected people from the diaspora and the countries of the region. During the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors and other experts were especially active and joined in helping colleagues across the region. The so-called teleconsultations with hospitals and medical staff.
RSE: In what way did the expert teams from the United States and other continents help the recovery of those infected with the Coronavirus and the protection of medical personnel in the region?
Tanović: It is a matter of cooperation between doctors from the area of the former Yugoslavia and experts who today live and work outside their countries of origin. These are mostly specialists, as we say, intensivists, and there were a large number of them. However, I must mention the special contribution of three doctors, namely: Ognjen Gajić, Emir Festić, and Adnan Begović. They made a teleconference in which more than 150 doctors participated, where information and advice were exchanged about how and what is being done in the world in the fight against the Coronavirus. It was a direct help, and it had a great effect and resonance. Apart from the practical benefit, there is something else that is particularly important, and that is the feeling of connection, because people need that kind of communication very much, especially in times of crisis. Cooperation existed before, well before the emergence of the Coronavirus. Now it has become more obvious during the pandemic, and we continue our cooperation. On the website of the Academy, we have published the names and contacts of experts who are organized by group and can be contacted by all those who want to hear the opinions of their colleagues from many countries around the world. We also help to select what is factually corroborative and relevant from the multitude of information around us.
RSE: What is the situation now in New York and America in general?
Tanović: To completely control the pandemic, it would be necessary to test the entire population, which is not done, but the number of infected people must decrease. Now we have a different situation; there are protests all over America, and I'm afraid that this will again lead to more people in hospitals. However, now that we have more protective equipment, we feel safer when we go to the operating room or when we test patients. But doctors are used to being exposed in various situations. We do what happens to us; it is not our place to complain and whine. We chose to do this profession; whenever people need us, we have to be available for them.
RSE: What is the main purpose of founding the Bosnian-Herzegovinian-American Academy of Sciences and Arts?
Tanović: The Academy was born precisely from the desire that experts who live in these areas, in the areas of America, Canada, other continents and countries, experts from the diaspora, stay in contact with experts from their home or home countries, because we have members from several countries from the area of the former Yugoslavia. The academy has various sections. There is a technical section, which is very numerous; all technical fields are represented, and then a medical section, which is also very numerous. And we have already shown ourselves in action, in the pandemic. We also have a section of members who deal with the social sciences and various types of art. The role of the academy is to connect experts and remove barriers. We do not have any prejudices towards different determinations of people; that is irrelevant to us. We hope that this connection at all levels, above all, benefits the entire community, both those of us who are outside and the people who stayed in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I think that our activity opens up horizons and breaks down barriers and borders, which is especially necessary for young people, who can reach any of us at any moment, by e-mail inquiry, visit, etc. And I think that we have managed to connect people, to open up the whole world to them, as much as we can. The most important thing is that our work is accessible to young people. They are the future; they will lead everything; something remains on them that we have managed to realize, and they can use it. This is precisely the role of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian-American Academy of Sciences and Arts—to break down barriers, to connect experts, and to put knowledge and prosperity first.
RSE: You come from Mostar; you regularly come to your hometown and BiH. During these visits, you collaborate with colleagues and transfer the knowledge acquired abroad. What have you noticed so far? What are the biggest failures or weaknesses of Bosnia and Herzegovina? healthcare system?
Tanović: Bosnia and Herzegovina does not lack experts; there are exceptional ones in this country. I was overjoyed when I came to Mostar, where I worked with young colleagues and with colleagues I worked with before. We have a wonderful cooperation; it is based on the exchange of knowledge. I can't say that I teach them anything, absolutely not. I learn from them; they learn from me; we exchange experiences and help patients. The biggest benefit is when patients get what they need. When we talk about the health system, I always emphasize that I am very happy to practice my profession in America, where everyone tries to provide the necessary conditions for doctors. My colleagues who work in Bosnia and Herzegovina are real heroes; they have to fight with much bigger problems than I am fighting. 
Quite simply, in BiH, healthcare is still connected to politics. I have no intention of criticizing politics, nor do I want to be part of that criticizing clan; I just think it should be totally separate. I think that the funds given for healthcare must be separated; for example, the procurement of materials must be separated from the doctor's salary. There is nowhere in the world that these funds are so connected. And finally, quality must be rewarded. A surgeon who goes to the operating room ten times a week must be better paid than a colleague who never goes to the room. We can say what we want, but until that kind of distinction is made, doctors will feel humiliated. I must say that there are excellent plastic surgeons, for example, in Sarajevo. Because of them, I can't wait to come, drink coffee, and exchange knowledge if they need some small thing in the material to bring. But, I repeat, they are not recognized as experts. People who have great knowledge must be rewarded. I wonder how to organize it in the world of nepotism. When they tell me in Mostar that I am a hero because I spend my vacation working, I answer that the heroes are the local doctors who strive to provide the patients with everything they need. The fact that we come and spend two or three weeks working in our city or in our country is nothing compared to how dedicated local doctors are and how much they work.
RSE: How long have you been in the USA?
Tanović: I have lived in the USA for 26 years. My son was born in exile, in Croatia, and came to America at six weeks old. He is now studying medicine. My daughter, who is now in Mostar, is 24 years old; she has a master's degree in construction and environment, and she works on various projects as a consultant. The very fact that she has been in Mostar for the last two years speaks of her connection with her homeland. By the way, she was born in America, but she always says that she is from Mostar. In terms of language, my children are actually trilingual, as they also speak Spanish at the same level. They read both Cyrillic and Latin. When they are in society, in Mostar, no one would recognize that they grew up somewhere outside. They feel Bosnia and Herzegovina as their country, just like the United States of America. My husband, although he is a linguist by profession, has built a career in the non-governmental sector, in organizations where he works with people who need help of any kind, whether they are refugees, displaced persons, or neglected persons, for any reason. I have my own private practice, I work with students, and I am an associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine. That would be a summary of what my family does. We always speak only our mother tongue at home, so the children speak very well. It's not the knowledge of the language that allows you to communicate, but knowing the culture, knowing idioms, recognizing jokes, and understanding the background of a story. Only then can children feel comfortable in the country they come from.
AUTHOR: Radio Slobodna Evropa
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