Hundreds flocked to the makeshift health centre at a local school as 13 doctors and four nurses volunteered to treat local residents who have suffered considerably over the past few years. One of the doctors involved was the president of the Red Cross Organisation of the Federation of BiH, Sadzida Rasidagic. The initiative was much appreciated as BiH's health care system has not recovered from the war and still has difficulty meeting people's needs. Also for the people of Rakovica, the nearest hospital is 20km away and too expensive to reach for many. The majority of the population of this small town near Sarajevo are returnees who came back after the war to find their houses destroyed.
Conditions remain harsh and there is little sanitation.
The volunteers also visit vulnerable families and assess their most urgent needs in food, clothes and social support. The check-ups are part of a countrywide Red Cross campaign, the main purpose of which is to prevent tuberculosis. People here, including Red Cross volunteers, are still coping with difficult economic circumstances. In addition, many suffer from psychological problems caused by the war. The International Federation has supported the two organisations to assist 10,000 elderly people on a regular basis.