Historical and Modern Development of Healthcare in ？azma

Sa？etak There are not many records on the history of healthcare and practicing medicine in the ？azma area. It can be assumed that medicine was practiced in the present ？azma after the founding of the Chapter – church body of twelve canons. The ？azma then had the status of the auxiliary centre of the Zagreb Diocese and the religious, enlightenment and cultural centre of the ？azma Archdeaconry. Historical records witness to the connection between the Chapters in ？azma and Zagreb; the frequent stay of the prelates of that time in this area; as well as the attacks and destruction by the Turks followed by the fall of ？azma. A further confirmation of active healthcare activity in this area can be found in the records on the existence of a leprosarium in ？azma during the plague epidemic in the Middle Ages. Today ？azma has a primary healthcare service within the Public Health Centre of the Bjelovar-Bilogora County, an emergency medical assistance service within the County Public Health Institute, and an epidemiological service within the Public Health Institute. Pharmaceutical business and veterinary medical services actively operate as well. All of these services have undergone reforms over the recent years. Healthcare organization in ex-Yugoslavia differed from its present organization as of the middle of the previous century. Formerly, pharmaceutical and medical services formed a part of the Public Health Centre in ？azma. Some of these services have subsequently become independent from the said Health Centre, and several other services have merged into the Public Health Centre of the Bjelovar-Bilogora County. Hence, several subject services presently operate autonomously